The Ultimate Roller Coaster Quiz

Roller coasters rely almost entirely on basic inertial, gravitational and centripetal forces, all manipulated in the service of a great ride.

While the basic concept dates back to the Russian ice slides of the 1700s, the first roller coaster in which the train was attached to the track dates back to 1817 and the French coaster Russes a Belleville (Russian Mountains of Belleville).

The first American roller coaster was the Mauch Chunk Switchback Railway, built in the mountains of Pennsylvania in the mid-1800s. Leap the Dips and the Zippin Pippin didn't come along until the 1900s.

While steam may help launch fighter jets off the decks of aircraft carriers, roller coasters aren't quite ready to go all Top Gun just yet. You'll typically find catapult launch lifts powered by rapidly spinning wheels or electromagnetic fields.

There's just something about Fabio's square-jawed, lion-haired, wax-chested machismo. The ladies can't resist him and neither can Virginia waterfowl. The bloody Italian model was taken to a local hospital following the incident, where he was treated for minor cuts.

If your roller coaster ride involves this much movement, you're probably on a fourth-dimension coaster which, despite its name, does not actually travel in time -- at least no more than usual.

There were 422 fixed-site amusement park ride fatalities in 2008. To put that in perspective, that's out of an estimated 291.2 million attendance. The estimated fixed-site amusement park ride injuries for 2008 were 1,523.

Book a flight for Malton in the United Kingdom, because the Mumbo Jumbo is recognized by the book of Guinness World Records as the steepest steel roller coaster in the world. As of 2009, it boasted a terrifying 112-degree descent angle, compared to the 97-degree angle that the Vild-Svinet and Typhoon coasters each have.

While the coaster itself wasn't too impressive, the Stratosphere Hotel's High Roller entertained thrill seekers at a height of 909 feet (277 meters) above the Las Vegas strip. The ride closed on Dec. 30, 2005.

According to the Roller Coaster Database, as of 2009 Asia was home to 803 roller coasters -- more than any other continent. North America came in second with 739 and Europe ranked third with 686.