Roller Coaster Physics Colour by Numbers

Answer the questions about forces and energy in roller coasters, then use the key to colour in each section to reveal a picture.

7 Answers Colour
29 3
22 0 – 10 Black
24
17 11 – 100 White
5 26 20
31
101 – 1000 Purple
34 50 8
44 1001 – 10 000 Red
40
43 18
10 001 – 100 000 Blue
42
15
more than 100 000 Yellow
10 14 30 49
9

39
38
23 47
2 16 25
6
41 19
1
37
27 4
11 35
21
32 36 13
48 45 33 46 28 12

1 of 6
 Roller Coaster Physics Colour by Numbers
You will need to use the following equations:

weight = mass × gravitational field strength

force = mass × acceleration

work done = force × distance

distance = speed × time

momentum = mass × velocity

change in velocity
acceleration = time
1
kinetic energy = 2 × mass × (speed)2

gravitational potential energy = mass × gravitational field strength × height

Answers should be given using standard units and rounded to 1 decimal place where applicable.
Remember: gravitational field strength on Earth = 9.8N/kg

Questions
1. A roller coaster train with a mass of 4100kg travels down a drop at a speed of 50m/s.
Calculate the kinetic energy of the roller coaster train.

2. A roller coaster train accelerates from rest to a speed of 25m/s in 4.5 seconds.
Calculate its acceleration.

3. A roller coaster has a maximum speed of 42m/s.

Calculate the distance travelled by the roller coaster train in 40 seconds at this speed.

4. A roller coaster train with a mass of 5000kg travels down a drop at a speed of 22m/s.
Calculate the kinetic energy of the roller coaster train.

5. Calculate the gravitational potential energy stored when a person with a mass of 85kg is at the
top of a roller coaster 76m above the ground.

6. A roller coaster train has a weight of 42 000N.

Calculate the work done to move the roller coaster train a distance of 200m.

7. A roller coaster train accelerates from rest to a speed of 36m/s in 1.9 seconds.
Calculate its acceleration.

2 of 6
 Roller Coaster Physics Colour by Numbers
8. A roller coaster train has a mass of 4500kg.
Calculate the force required to cause an acceleration of 13m/s2.

9. A roller coaster train has a weight of 49 000N.

Calculate the work done to lift the roller coaster train to a height of 12m.

10. A roller coaster car has a mass of 1000kg.

Calculate the weight of the roller coaster car.

11. A roller coaster train has a weight of 30 000N.

Calculate the work done to lift the roller coaster train to a height of 25m.

12. Calculate the gravitational potential energy stored when a person with a mass of 75kg is at the
top of a roller coaster 94m above the ground.

13. Calculate the gravitational potential energy stored when a person with a mass of 45kg is at the
top of a roller coaster 33m above the ground.

14. A roller coaster has a maximum speed of 25m/s.

Calculate the distance travelled by the roller coaster train in 30 seconds at this speed.

15. A roller coaster train has a mass of 5000kg when fully loaded.
Calculate the weight of the roller coaster train.

16. A roller coaster train accelerates from rest to a speed of 53m/s in 3.8 seconds.
Calculate its acceleration.

17. The world’s tallest roller coaster is 139m at its highest point.
Calculate the gravitational potential energy stored when a person with a mass of 70kg is at the
highest point on the roller coaster.

18. A roller coaster travels at an average speed of 9.47m/s.

Calculate the distance travelled by the roller coaster train in 216 seconds.

19. Calculate the gravitational potential energy stored when a person with a mass of 65kg is at the
top of a roller coaster 90m above the ground.

3 of 6
 Roller Coaster Physics Colour by Numbers
20. A roller coaster train has a mass of 4000kg.
Calculate the force required to cause an acceleration of 10m/s2.

21. A roller coaster train has a mass of 6500kg when fully loaded.
Calculate the weight of the roller coaster train.

22. A roller coaster car has a mass of 1560kg.

Calculate the weight of the roller coaster car.

23. A roller coaster train accelerates from rest to a speed of 57m/s in 3.5 seconds.
Calculate its acceleration.

24. Calculate the gravitational potential energy stored when a person with a mass of 55kg is at the
top of a roller coaster 90m above the ground.

25. A roller coaster train with a mass of 4000kg travels down a drop at a speed of 30m/s.
Calculate the kinetic energy of the roller coaster train.

26. The world’s fastest roller coaster has a maximum speed of 67m/s.
Calculate the distance travelled by the roller coaster train in 15 seconds at this speed.

27. A roller coaster train has a mass of 3600kg.

Calculate the force required to cause an acceleration of 23m/s2.

28. A roller coaster train with a mass of 6100kg travels along a track at a speed of 6m/s.
Calculate the kinetic energy of the roller coaster train.

29. A roller coaster train has a mass of 4100kg.

Calculate the force required to cause an acceleration of 9.5m/s2.

30. A roller coaster train has a mass of 5200kg.

Calculate the force required to cause an acceleration of 12m/s2.

31. A roller coaster train accelerates from rest to a speed of 30m/s in 3.3 seconds.
Calculate its acceleration.

4 of 6
 Roller Coaster Physics Colour by Numbers
32. A roller coaster car has a mass of 1850kg.
Calculate the weight of the roller coaster car.

33. A roller coaster train with a mass of 3500kg travels along a track at a speed of 14m/s.
Calculate the kinetic energy of the roller coaster train.

34. A roller coaster train has an average speed of 5m/s.

Calculate the distance travelled by the roller coaster train in 1.5 minutes.

35. A roller coaster car has a weight of 17 640N on Earth.

Calculate the mass of the roller coaster car.

36. A roller coaster train has a weight of 35kN.

Calculate the work done to move the roller coaster train a distance of 45m.

37. 5 220 000J of work is done to move a roller coaster train a distance of 145m.
Calculate the force used to move the roller coaster train.

38. A roller coaster train takes 28 seconds to travel a distance of 950m.

Calculate its average speed.

39. A roller coaster train has an average speed of 6.6m/s.

Calculate the distance travelled by the roller coaster train in 2.5 minutes.

40. A roller coaster train travels at an average speed of 8.5m/s.

Calculate the time taken for the roller coaster train to travel a distance of 1060m.

41. A roller coaster train accelerates from a speed of 5m/s to 38m/s in 2.3 seconds.
Calculate its acceleration.

42. A roller coaster train has a weight of 40kN.

Calculate the work done to lift the roller coaster train to a height of 18m.

43. 512 000J of work is done to lift a roller coaster train to a height of 16m.
Calculate the force used to lift the roller coaster train.

5 of 6
 Roller Coaster Physics Colour by Numbers
44. A roller coaster train has an average speed of 4.4m/s.
Calculate the distance travelled by the roller coaster train in 1 minute.

45. A roller coaster train takes 160 seconds to travel a distance of 1781m.
Calculate its average speed.

46. 690 000J of work is done to lift a roller coaster train to a height of 15m.
Calculate the force used to lift the roller coaster train.

47. A roller coaster train has a weight of 46 060N on Earth.

Calculate the mass of the roller coaster train.

48. A roller coaster train takes 140 seconds to travel a distance of 2010m.
Calculate its average speed.

49. 1 911 000J of work is done to move a roller coaster train a distance of 65m.
Calculate the force used to move the roller coaster train.

50. A roller coaster train takes 60 seconds to travel a distance of 443m.

Calculate its average speed.

6 of 6