Student Article
Mastering Winter Sports: The Science Behind Winning on Ice and Snow!
Drag (noun): Resistance by air or fluid.
Centrifugal (adjective): Moving or tending to move away from a center.
Friction (noun): The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another.
Cambered (adjective): Having a curved surface that is convex, or arches upwards, especially in the middle.
Learn the techniques and equipment athletes use to excel in winter sports!
Speed skating:
Speed skating involves athletes wearing clap-skates that stay in contact with the ice longer, allowing more power transfer from their legs. Skaters angle their blades about 35 degrees from forward and use sweeping strides to move quickly on straight sections. On bends, they take short steps like climbing stairs sideways to maintain speed.
Bobsledding:
In bobsledding, teams race down icy tracks in high-tech sleds. Heavier athletes are beneficial because their weight reduces the effect of drag force relative to gravitational force. Muscle power is crucial for a fast initial push-off. As the sled corners, centrifugal force throws it up the bank. The driver must keep the sled close to the perfect racing line to avoid losing speed.
Curling:
Curling involves sliding 40-pound granite stones on pebbled ice. The stones have handles that can be twisted to make them spin. The ice is pebbled by spraying it with water, which forms raised bumps upon freezing. Sweeping the ice ahead of the stone reduces friction by increasing the temperature and softening the ice, allowing the stone to travel farther.
Ski jumping:
Ski jumpers soar through the air after launching off a hill. They tuck into a crouched position during the initial run to reduce drag. In flight, they lean forward and form a V with their skis to maximize lift. Light and lean athletes have a better lift-to-weight ratio, helping them fly farther.
Snowboarding:
Snowboard cross is a race where four snowboarders navigate a downhill course with ramps, twists, and cambered turns. Medal-winning snowboarders choose to jump more than necessary to reduce drag. Traveling through the air slows them down less than carving through snow. The narrow course makes it difficult to overtake others unless the leader falls.
Giant slalom:
In giant slalom, skiers maneuver between poles as quickly as possible. They are propelled downwards by gravity, but much of this energy is dissipated overcoming friction and drag. Modern carving turns are facilitated by side-cut skis, which naturally turn when pressure is applied in the right place. This technique is much faster than the parallel turns used until the 1980s.
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Drag (noun): Resistance by air or fluid.
Centrifugal (adjective): Moving or tending to move away from a center.
Friction (noun): The resistance that one surface or object encounters when moving over another.
Cambered (adjective): Having a curved surface that is convex, or arches upwards, especially in the middle.