Roller coasters are a great way to see how work and energy work together. Let’s break down how they give us those exciting rides:

1. Potential Energy: When the coaster goes up, it builds up something called gravitational potential energy. This means it has energy because of its height. The formula is $PE = mgh$. Here, $m$ is how heavy the coaster is, $g$ is the pull of gravity, and $h$ is how high it goes. The higher it goes, the more energy it saves up for the big drop!

2. Kinetic Energy: When the coaster zooms down, that stored potential energy changes into kinetic energy. This is what makes it go fast! The formula for kinetic energy is $KE = \frac{1}{2} mv^2$.

3. Work Done: Gravity does a lot of work during the ride. This work helps create those thrilling moments that make our hearts race!

So, the next time you ride a roller coaster, remember how energy and gravity make it such an awesome experience!