Leaflet: Science of Skiing

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN LEARN PHYSICS WHILE SKIING ? This is about the science involved in downhill skiing. Why is skiing on packed powder better than skiing right after a snowfall? What things can I do to be sure of a nice smooth ride down the slope? What kind of simple machine is a ski slope? What is aerodynamics? And what does it have to do with skiing? GATEWAY TO SCIENCE: SPORTS AND GAMES                                      http://sportsciencekathy.blogspot.com WHAT KIND OF THINGS CAN I LOOK FOR WHEN I HIT THE SLOPES? First of all, that ski slope is actually a machine – what we call a simple machine. It's an inclined plane, just like a ramp. It makes work easier. And if you had to ski down a hill that wasn't smooth, skiing would be harder. Wouldn't it? After a fresh snowfall, the hill is not so smooth until the snow be-comes packed. As you're standing at the top of the hill getting ready to push off, your position there gives you a lot of potential energy: the higher you are, the more you have. Crouching down and pushing off -- kinetic energy of motion combined with the pull of gravity -- along with a smooth surface and smooth skis -- means YOU will have an exciting ride down the hill! WHAT KIND OF FORCES ARE INVOLVED IN DOWNHILL SKIING? Energy: Potential energy at the top of the ski slop -- which changes to kinetic energy when you're in motion Gravity: A force that pulls you to the earth, so it aids downhill motion Friction: Occurs when 2 surfaces meet. A lot of friction (rough, bumpy) makes motion harder; and a little friction (smoother) makes motion easier. Aerodynamics: Wearing smooth clothes and crouching help you to reduce friction between yourself and the air › less drag. Your shape is more like a bird or a plane (aerodynamic). NOTE Center of mass, or center of gravity: Bending your knees helps you find your center of balance. Skiing... is just one of endless ways to gain an understanding of physics and geometry. I hope this leaflet introduces you to seeing things you never saw before – or wondered about but just didn't know where to start. Physics and geometry come into play in every activity and event going on around us. Knowing how things work can add to your performance and to your fun. So give it a try. How? Start with the information here You may not understand every- thing in it right away, but for now, use what you do understand Do an online search of your own See what books or videos your library has Share them with friends, your class, your team, your scout troop Read my blog and tell others: sportscience-kathy.blogspot.com                               Thank you! Kathy Hogan                                                         Gateway to Science: Sports and Games                                                                                                                                                  Picture: Univ. of Utah REFERENCES: Skiing: It's All About Friction Marcia Howell, Univ. of Utah NOTE: Univ. of Utah is a good resource for sport science in general. NBCLearn.com and the National Science Foundation did videos at the 2010 Winter Olympics on sport science, narrated by Lester Holt. See YouTube.           Sports and games are the gateway to science,                                  and YOU hold the key!