Roller Coaster Engineering Career Essay

Roller coaster engineers work with a design team in a variety of tasks concerning the construction of roller coasters. The main duties involve deciding what type of roller coaster to use, determining how to place the track, developing the controls systems and verifying that the ride is safe for the public. Generally, engineers try to make rides exciting by including special arrangements that enhance some element of the ride. Loops in the track, embankments and the use of natural scenery are some examples that may add to the thrill of a roller coaster. The engineers usually make around 87,000 per year. Safety is a major concern for a roller coaster engineering design team. Engineers are often required to test rides many times to make sure they meet the right speeds, weights and forces set forth in the design. No specific major exists in roller coaster engineering, though a design team is typically made up of structural, electrical and mechanical engineers. Many universities offer bachelor's degree engineering programs in these disciplines Roller coaster engineers need to obtain state licensure. Graduation from a state-approved bachelor's degree program typically qualifies engineers to begin the path to becoming licensed. New engineers take an entry-level licensure test that allows them to work under the supervision of a …show more content…
Kinetic energy is directly proportional to the mass of the object and to the square of its velocity: K.E. = 1/2 m v2. The formula for potential energy depends on the force acting on the two objects. For the gravitational force the formula is P.E. = mgh, where m is the mass in kilograms, g is the acceleration due to gravity (9.8 m / s2 at the surface of the earth) and h is the height in meters. Notice that gravitational potential energy has the same units as kinetic energy, kg m2 / s2. In fact, all energy has the same units, kg m2 / s2, and is measured using the unit Joule