How does potential energy change as the roller coaster moves up and down?
How does potential energy change as the roller coaster moves up and down? The potential energy of the roller coaster when it is at the top of a hill is converted into kinetic energy as the roller coaster speeds down the hill. As the roller coaster goes up another hill, it slows down. The kinetic energy is converted into potential energy.
How does PE potential energy change as the coaster goes down the slope of the track toward the bottom?
As the car descends the first slope, its PE is converted to KE. At the low point much of the original PE has been transformed to KE, and speed is at a maximum. As the car moves up the next slope, some of the KE is transformed back into PE and the car slows down.