Roller Coaster

See below.

Woah, a few things wrong with this problem...

irregular curve

Equation(s) describing this curve (approximately) or GTFO.

If you say they exist, fair enough.

if the object is moving normal to the curve

So... how can it move along an irregular curve if the object is flying directly off the track?





Assuming the curve has an equation or two describing it, and the object moves tangent to the curve like a real rollercoaster would, you just sum up all the vector forces acting on the object in question using a freebody diagram. For this to happen, you need to calculate normal acceleration (=/= tangent velocity) acting on the object using velocity V, which will be the "gravity" of the object in the direction negative of normal to the curve. From here, you can calculate the counteracting forces: friction, and normal. Normal force should be relatively easy to find. What the left over stuff from your force freebody diagram should be friction. If you're really ambitious, you can find out how much of it is from roller friction (assuming the object has wheels on a rail), and how much of it is from sliding.

*is rusty at physics*

See below.

Okay. Just assume that the object is traveling along the curve then.

That would be tangent. Take my post with some caution, because this kind of thing happened to me a very long time ago, if ever.

Someone just close or delete this thread.