# A theme park ride lifts passengers in a carriage to the top of a tall tower, then releases the carriage so it falls freely downward. As the carriage falls, it speeds up. Near the bottom, brakes apply a large resistive force to stop the carriage. Explain the energy transfers that occur from the moment the carriage is released at the top until it comes to rest at the bottom.

> Edexcel A-Level Physics (9PH0) — 8.2 Standard model and conservation laws · Explain · 5 marks

> A theme park ride lifts passengers in a carriage to the top of a tall tower, then releases the carriage so it falls freely downward. As the carriage falls, it speeds up. Near the bottom, brakes apply a large resistive force to stop the carriage.

## Mark scheme (5 marks)

1. The carriage has gravitational potential energy (GPE) at the top of the tower
2. As the carriage falls, GPE is transferred to kinetic energy (KE)
3. The carriage speeds up because the net / resultant force acts downward (or because work is done by gravity)
4. The brakes apply a resistive force, so the carriage does work against the resistive force
5. The kinetic energy is dissipated as heat / thermal energy to the surroundings, so the carriage comes to rest

## Key terms

- [resistive force](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/glossary/resistive-force)

## Related

- [Revision notes for Edexcel A-Level Physics (9PH0)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/learn)
- [How to answer "Explain" questions](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/tools/command-word-cheatsheet)
- [Practice this with AI marking (free)](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/start)

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Source: [GradeNine](https://www.gradenine.co.uk/q/a-theme-park-ride-lifts-passengers-690c77ee) · Published by Druglandscape Ltd.