Physics – 1.7.1 Energy | e-Consult

As the roller coaster car moves down the hill, its gravitational potential energy (GPE) is converted into kinetic energy (KE). At the top of the hill, the GPE is maximum and the KE is minimum (ideally zero). As the car descends, the GPE decreases, and the KE increases. The diagram illustrates this conversion. The energy is not lost; it is transformed. As the car reaches the bottom of the hill, it has maximum KE and minimum GPE. Some energy is also converted into sound and heat due to friction with the track and air resistance, although the diagram doesn't explicitly show these transfers. The total energy remains constant, but it is distributed between GPE and KE.