https://edition.cnn.com/six-flags-rollercoaster-brain-injuries-invs
It isn’t the most extreme rollercoaster in existence, like people seem to be implying. At a peak of 4 G’s, that’s in the median for a rollercoaster. Meaning, there’s nothing unusual about the G-forces of the X2 and nothing out of the ordinary was found about it. There are rollercoasters that go up to 6 G’s which aren’t causing people’s brains to explode.
Isn’t it more likely the deaths are coincidences? If 4 G’s was enough to cause fatal brain bleeds, then I’d assume stunt pilots, astronauts, and fighter pilots wouldn’t exist. And you can’t train your brain *not *to bleed.
The ride was announced to be retired earlier today, as well, due to the pressure of the lawsuits: https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/six-flag-magic-mountain-x2-roller-coaster-closure/
The fall is still 1 G. That’s why you fall. In space there’s 0 G. Thats why you float.
N.B. you can experience 0 G on earth but only when you’re pushed up and suddenly let go for a brief moment (swings, airplanes diving or roller coasters for example)
The vomit comet, which simulates 0g, literally flies in parabolic to achieve the effect. Freefall, which is what astronauts experience in low earth orbit, is effectively 0g.
When talking about forces experienced by your body, we are talking about forces that are opposed. When I’m standing on the ground, 1g of force is being applied by gravity and 1g of force is being resisted by the ground. I feel pressure on my feet and my body feels that pressure transmitted though its structure to my brain resting in my skull. When I am in freefall, 1g of force is being applied to my body, with some small portion being resisted by air moving by, unless I’m in a structure blocking the air moving around me, such as the vomit comet. So I experience 0g. Centripetal force on a roller coaster ride can apply more g’s, which are counteracted by the structure of the roller coaster causing me to feel pressure. Similarly, slamming into a cliffside at 50 km/h will cause very high g’s as my body decelerates from 50 km/h to 0 km/h in a few 10s of centimeters in a time span of less than a second. F=ma or F= 1/2 mv2.
Apologies free fall would be. Terminal velocity wouldn’t. Then air resistance is in perfect balance with gravity. But then free fall wouldn’t be 0 G since air resistance builds up quickly anyway just less than 1 G.
You start at something close to 0g with wind resistance building until you reach terminal velocity, at which point you’re at 1g again. But you’re right, I should have clarified that in my comment.