LAUNCHED COASTERS
Launched coasters are the quickest roller coasters there are. Launched coasters are built to bulid the coaster's speed up in a short period of time. Some are used by magnets which pull the car by the reaction between the negetive magnets under the car, and the positive magnets on the track. Another type is the slingshot. Instead of dragging the train up a hill to build up potential energy, these systems start the train off by building up a good amount of kinetic energy in a short amount of time. It usually takes two to three seconds to build up all of its kinetic mechanical energy. The physics behind these types of roller coasters is very simple, which involves kinetic energy, motion, and magnetism.
Some launched coasters are inverted like the Wicked Twister at Cedar Point, in Sandusky, Ohio. The coaster is shot off by magnets, and from those magnets the train gathers speed and stops gradually. For more information on inverted coasters go to the inverted coasters tab at the top of the page. Below is a video on the Wicked Twister at Cedar Point. http://www.cedarpoint.com/_includes/flash/media_player_popup.cfm?videoID=13415&videoWidth=320The website below is a video of a slingshot roller coaster called Top Thrill Dragster because it feels like a dragster when you take off. (To the right) So alot of physics goes into the take off and the braking of this roller coaster that goes 120 mph. This roller coaster can be found at Cedar Point. One of the many amusment parks in the world.
http://www.cedarpoint.com/_includes/flash/media_player_popup.cfm?videoID=9290&videoWidth=320
A Lauched Coaster
Wicked Twister at Cedar Point
The Incredible Hulk at Universal Studios, Orlando Florida is a launched coaster. It goes from 0 to 40 in two seconds.
a launched coaster(The incredible hulk) in Orlando, Florida
The Incredible Hulk ride POV.