Seep heart slide

Water slides are popular at water parks and preferred by some people over the intense rides you find at amusements parks. Known also as flumes, water chutes and hydro-slides these forms of water activity create a thrill factor in their design. Smaller water slides can be found in local swimming baths, recreation centres and swimming centres in amusements parks.

There are various types and shapes of water slide such as a zig-zag, curved and straight, plus extreme slides. The latter types also known as speed slides or plunge slides are straight with a near vertical drop in the middle to intensify the exhilaration. These can be quite scary rides and provide the rider with the thrill of free falling.

Family slides are designed to be ridden in a tube with up to eight or so people. Not as fearsome as the extreme slides instead these are slower but include many exciting twists and turns.

These water slides are all in a way like a wet roller coaster but with no car or track. A roller coaster car is driven by gravity and the same principle applies to the workings of a water slide. The coaster car is pulled up the hill and the higher it gets the potential energy increases so when it is released gravity pulls the car down the track.

In just the same way as a roller coaster car going to the top of the lift hill with a water slide there is a stairway to climb. Climbing the stairs builds up potential energy this in turn transforms into kinetic energy as you descend the slide. The higher the slide the more potential energy is produced.

A raft or mat is sometimes used on a water slide this reduces friction between your body and the sides of the slide. The constant flow of water around your body acts like a lubricant enabling you to go faster.

As well as the height of the water slide it is also the shape and design that contributes to how water slides work to produce the thrill and ultimate fear factor.

The different shaped slides are especially designed to make you travel faster. Certain areas of the slide are made in a way that it determines the way you zoom through into the next section of the slide and how fast you fly down it.