Today, I learned a key concept in physics that totally changed how I think about how roller coaster loops aren’t actually perfect circles, they’re called clothoid loops. This has everything to do with circular motion and how our bodies experience forces during high-speed motion.

At first, I assumed roller coaster loops were circular, but that would actually be extremely dangerous. If a loop were a perfect circle, the centripetal acceleration required at the bottom of the loop would be extremely high because the speed is greatest there, and that would result in massive G-forces on the rider. Too much force, and people could black out!

Instead, roller coaster engineers design loops in a teardrop shape (a clothoid). This shape makes the radius smaller at the top, where the speed is lower, and larger at the bottom, where the speed is higher. Since centripetal acceleration is ac = v^2/r, adjusting the radius helps keep the acceleration (and the G-forces) within a safe range throughout the loop.

Critical Thinking Core Competency:
This learning experience helped me develop my critical thinking by challenging my assumptions and deepening my understanding of how physics concepts apply in real life. By analyzing the relationship between velocity, radius, and acceleration, I was able to see why a simple circular loop would fail to meet safety requirements. I evaluated the reasoning behind the clothoid design and recognized how math and science principles are applied creatively in engineering. This helped me think more analytically and draw logical conclusions based on evidence and real-world application.