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Name: Courtney
Status: student
Age: 18
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2001-2002
Question:
Hi! I am doing a project on the physics of the "chaos" amusement park ride. The ride has one main wheel with about 6 smaller wheels attached. The seats are attached about 3 to each smaller wheel and those, too, spin around. The ride goes up on an angle while all the wheels spin. What forces are acting on the passengers? Thanks!

Replies:
You are describing not a chaotic ride, but a dual axis turning ride. The accelerations of the two circular motions combine at each point for the net acceleration. The forces acting on the passengers are gravitational, support, and the force of the side (or sideways friction of the seat). Air resistance is usually negligible.

Unterman


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