At which point in a roller coaster ride is the potential energy highest?

The correct answer is that the potential energy is highest at the highest point of the roller coaster. In this scenario, Point A represents the peak of the roller coaster track.

Potential energy in the context of a roller coaster is determined by the height of the coaster above a reference point, usually the ground. At the highest point, the coaster has the maximum height, and thus its gravitational potential energy, which is calculated using the formula ( PE = mgh ) (where ( m ) is mass, ( g ) is the acceleration due to gravity, and ( h ) is height), reaches its peak. As the coaster descends from this height, the potential energy decreases while kinetic energy increases, converting potential energy into kinetic energy until the lowest point is reached.

Understanding this principle is crucial for analyzing energy transformations in roller coasters, where the interplay of potential and kinetic energy governs the ride's dynamics.