Question

Have you ever ridden a free-fall ride at an amusement park, where the riders are suspended at a terrifying height and then plummet towards the ground in free fall? These rides use a Lenz’s law mechanism to slow the drop. In your initial post to the discussion, explain how Lenz’s law applies to this situation and why this mechanism is ideal for such an application.

Answer 1

Im Amusement park, Copper strips are mounted vertically in the lower third of the tower. When the cart falls, the fall generates kinetic energy. That kinetic energy is transferred to the cart, including the magnets below the seats. When the magnets move past the copper conductor, the kinetic energy is transformed into electrical energy. This induces an electric current. The induced current in the copper strips also creates a magnetic field. And as Lenz’s law states, that magnetic field opposes the motion of the magnets. As a result, the magnetic field pushes up against the seat, causing the cart to slow down. This is how a drop tower ride’s magnetic brakes work. These magnetic brakes are used with hydraulic cylinders to further slow the falling cart down. The result is a reliable, no-friction braking system.