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Autori principali: Kaschke, Michael, Cartarius, Holger
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2026
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Accesso online:https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.27230
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author Kaschke, Michael
Cartarius, Holger
author_facet Kaschke, Michael
Cartarius, Holger
contents Analyzing the motion of a roller coaster allows for an instructive introduction of various theoretical concepts in a concrete and enjoyable context. We start by modeling the roller coaster train as a point particle. We then develop more realistic models for the train and finally we show how to introduce a continuum limit in a simple way. These studies instructively illustrate the relationships between different formalisms (Newtonian mechanics, Lagrangian mechanics of the first and second kind, as well as continuous Lagrangian mechanics using a Lagrangian density). We derive the equations of motion in all considered models and calculate the forces acting on the track and on the passengers. Numerical results are also provided and discussed.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_27230
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Roller coaster dynamics -- from point particles to a continuum model using Lagrange density
Kaschke, Michael
Cartarius, Holger
Physics Education
Analyzing the motion of a roller coaster allows for an instructive introduction of various theoretical concepts in a concrete and enjoyable context. We start by modeling the roller coaster train as a point particle. We then develop more realistic models for the train and finally we show how to introduce a continuum limit in a simple way. These studies instructively illustrate the relationships between different formalisms (Newtonian mechanics, Lagrangian mechanics of the first and second kind, as well as continuous Lagrangian mechanics using a Lagrangian density). We derive the equations of motion in all considered models and calculate the forces acting on the track and on the passengers. Numerical results are also provided and discussed.
title Roller coaster dynamics -- from point particles to a continuum model using Lagrange density
topic Physics Education
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.27230