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[ParticleGames]

Hello everybody! I am working on a 2D game where you control a ball that travels on a track. The track will be in the same perspective as a platformer. The track will have no specific shape. It will have slopes, straight lines, zigzags, etc. Can anyone point me in the right direction here? Specifically, what properties will I need to implement and are there any books/tutorials you could recommend to me? Thank you!

[J-Snake]

Do you mean something like this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCq9AJbZl7U&feature=channel_video_title

I have implemented it some time ago. But it is nothing you can find in a book.

[ParticleGames]

That is partially what I mean. Have you ever played Super Monkey Ball? That is the type of physics I will need, except my game will be 2d in the perspective of that YouTube video.

[J-Snake]

Don't be afraid of physic-basics. Just grab a good mechanics-book and look up the ideal rules.
Approximate them and it should suffice if it is not supposed to be a hardcore-sim. 

[Netsu]

www.myphysicslab.com/

This is a great site that might help you. It has simulations for exactly the thing you need and an explanation on how they work.

[BorisTheBrave]

Just use Box2D or Chipmunk - 2d physics engines (you can also use 3d ones, they are just a little more complex). They will do the calculations for you, you just create the shapes and move them.

[ParticleGames]

Thanks for the advice everybody. That website looks very promising and I have already picked up a book. If worst comes to worst, I will use a physics engine.