How Bumper Cars Operate

While getting hit in a real car is not fun at all, bumper cars can be a great way to release some road rage in a safe environment. Slamming your bumper car into your brother’s car or knocking your best friend across the course can be a blast. But have you ever wondered how bumper cars work? Here are some of the basics on bumper cars and how they operate.

Basics of Bumper Cars

There are a few different types of bumper cars, but all of them run on electricity. The old, classic style of bumper cars had poles that attached to the back of the car, running electricity down a wire to the car. Other types of bumper cars use an electric floor that activates the cars through a simple circuit system under the cars. However, many bumper cars now use rechargeable batteries, without the need for electricity on the floor or through connecting wires or poles.

Bumper cars are based on the principles of physics. Isaac Newton’s law on motion is what makes bumper cars so much fun. It is the action and reaction principle that causes the car you hit to bounce in the other direction. The third law of motion states that if one body hits a second body, the second body initiates an equal force in the opposite direction. Thus, when one bumper car hits another, they can both bounce away from each other.

When you feel that jolt when cruising into another bumper car, that is Newton’s law of motion working. Although the car may bounce back, your body is still moving forward. The bumpers help cushion the blow, but you will feel your body jerk slightly with each hit. The velocity and mass of the bumper cars and their drivers also adds to the jarring impact you feel when in the arena.

Has all this talk about bumper cars made you want to drive one yourself? Come out and play at Flip N’ Fun Center in Houston, where we have classic bumper cars, multiple trampolines, air-dodgeball, laser tag and much more. Make sure to keep us in mind for your next party or event.