G-Forces – For The Holiday…

G-Force And… Roller-coasters

I was researching roller-coaster rides prior to my recent excursion to Alton Towers. It was hard to imagine what the ride would be like from simply reading descriptions, but one curious term seemed to appear prominently and that was G-Force.

Each Alton Towers roller-coaster ride had a G-Force (G) rating as follows:

● The Smiler (4.8 Gs)
● Nemesis and Oblivion (4.5 Gs)
● Galactica (3.5 Gs)
● Wickerman (3.0 Gs)

What Is G-Force?

G-Forces are measured with the unit G, where 1 G is equivalent to the normal pull of gravity on earth’s surface above sea-level. This acceleration that we experience due to gravity is 32 feet/second2 (9.8 Metres/second2). This sounds like an extremely strong force, but because we have experienced it since birth our bodies have become so accustomed to it, we don’t really know it’s there. To illustrate, astronauts returning from a gravity free, zero-G environment, have reported returning to the 1-G Earth environment and actively feeling gravity pulling their arms and feet down!

Roller-coaster Rides Generate G-Forces Greater Than 1

The thrill of roller-coaster rides comes from the twists and turns and the rapid acceleration and deceleration of the roller-coaster carriage, with this motion generating G-Forces greater than 1. It was the intention of ride designers to build roller coasters that generate these excessive G-Forces and overload our nervous systems and provide that well-known theme park thrill, resulting in screams or the comically fearful facial expressions!

Comparisons

If you have been on these rides, you’ll know how out of this world these experiences are, but they are literally out of this world. For example, The Wicker Man ride at Alton Towers generates a force of 3Gs, which is the same speed that a space shuttle ascends at to reach escape velocity and break free of Earth’s gravitational field. Powerful as the Wicker man G-Forces are, it is the least intense big ride at Alton Towers; The flagship big rides of the Smiler, Nemesis and Oblivion accelerate at 1.5 times the G-Force of a space shuttle launch! But the tight-turning roller-coaster G-Force experience is probably more akin to what racing drivers experience on tracks which generate forces of almost 5G. This force is equal to five times their body weight pulling the driver’s head to the side. This is why racing drivers have such big necks, as they need to work their fast-twitch neck muscles to stabilise their head and vision under a big weight load. I also think it is why I kept banging my jaw on the headrest as I rattled through 4.8 G turns on the Smiler without appropriately trained and primed neck muscles! Still, it is an amazing experience and a great way to experience the real-life effects of G-Force. Wouldn’t it be fun if attending high G-Force roller-coasters was put on the school science curriculum?