The Roller Coaster Proof

Roller coasters are the best classroom for energy conservation. No engine drives the cars after the first climb — the whole ride is a controlled energy conversion. The chain lift hauls the car up the first hill, pumping in gravitational potential energy. That first hill is always the tallest, because every later hill must be shorter. Why? At each peak, some energy has leaked away to:

• Friction between wheels and track
• Air resistance against the cars
• Sound (that rattling is energy escaping)
• Heat in the brake pads

The total energy stays constant, but the useful part shrinks with every conversion.