Question

A Six Flags students notice that all of the roller coasters use motors to pull the cars to their highest point at the first hill, and then release the cars down the hill and for the rest of the trip. Why must the first hill of a rollercoaster ride be the highest? Answer with a claim, evidence and reasoning.

Answer 1

According to the conservation of energy

`Total\text{ energy = Potential energy +Kinetic energy}`

At the top of the hill, only the potential energy will work as it is at rest.

Also, potential energy increases with height, so if the height of the first hill is the highest, the total energy will be more.