What does geometry have to do with roller coasters?
Roller Coasters have everything to do with geometry. It is critical to understanding their design, and why they are so fun! The thrill of roller coasters exists in the feeling of flying and diving, the experience of speed and accelleration, tilting and turning, not to mention going upside down, and feeling positive and negative G-forces due to track curvature. These experiences all depend on geometry: angles, curves, circles, triangles, cylinders, and the list goes on… For example, there is one specific shape that nearly every loop-de-loop has, so that the g-forces on the rider are constant for the duration of the loop. Otherwise, the ride might be too jarring. Also, consider the corkscrew, in which the train car is twisting in a spiral. If it is a steel-tube coaster, a very specific geometry is required to keep the two track rails equidistant, so the wheels can stay in contact with it. Lastly, steel coasters tend to use large triangle trusses, coupled with cantilevers as supports. W
