My creative project focused on understanding the role of physics in the sports of halfpipe snowboarding. My overall research question focused on how physics influence this sport. In my project, I explored the fundamental concepts of physics which influence this sport, and how amateurs can benefit by improving their performance through the understanding of these basics ideas. The internet revolution has made educational resources accessible, however most of these resources are filled with scientific jargon which discourages most common people from using these resources since they are unable to follow the scientific terminologies. The significance of my project is to bring the ‘jargon-filled’ physics concepts to the public to make the sport of
…show more content…
On the most fundamental level this sport is influenced by speed, more particularly the speed in a particular direction which is termed as velocity. Another concept which influences this sport is the change in the speed or direction of speed (velocity) which is termed as acceleration. In the video, I explained velocity by elaborating the difference between a ‘carved turn’ and ‘skidding.’ “The most efficient turn occurs when the snowboarder does a purely carved turn, in which the snowboard is pointing in the same direction as its velocity,” (Physics Of Snowboarding) while on the other hand the skidding movement slows a snowboarder as snow provides resistance to their movement. I also used the idea of velocity to explain the concept of ‘pumping,’ which refers to the leg movement causing the speed of the snowboarders to be increased as they move through the half-pipe (SportsGirlATL). Pumping also causes the maneuvers of flips which are horizontal change of direction, and rotations which are circular movements in the air to be executed by the snow-boarder at high speeds. Acceleration refers to the increase in speed of the snowboarder due to pumping as well as change in direction during the flips and rotation. Increased speeds require great accelerations, which also means that on changing direction, snowboarders are impacted by large forces which can be between 2.5-2.7 times their body mass (VideosatNSF). Thus, in the …show more content…
I particularly discussed in my video how a snowboarder can manipulate the idea of torque and angular momentum which is proportional to a) mass, b) velocity and c) the radius of snowboarder (Christman). Since angular momentum is conserved, decrease in one quantity would be balanced by increase in another quantity. It will benefit the snowboarder to crouch down in the straight part of the half-pipe; and on the edge of the half-pipe they can grab the tail of the snowboard (TheNewYorkTimes) and tuck their arms inside to become compact. (The Physics of Snowboarding). Since angular momentum is conserved, the actions mentioned would result in the decrease of body radius of the snowboarder which will result in respective increase of their speed. It is also due to this reason, when entering the curved portion of the half-pipe snowboarders lift their body and arms up to decrease their radius, which results in exiting the pipe at greater speed than would be possible otherwise. Along with this, I presented my viewers with the basic understanding of momentum, which is the rate of change of the resultant force. Thus, to avoid injuries from the ‘shock,’ which a snow-boarder might suffer on landing on a flat surface, the snowboarder should land on a slope surface of the half-pipe which will allow the force to be disturbed over a longer time instead of their bodies feeling this force instantly in the
On the most fundamental level this sport is influenced by speed, more particularly the speed in a particular direction which is termed as velocity. Another concept which influences this sport is the change in the speed or direction of speed (velocity) which is termed as acceleration. In the video, I explained velocity by elaborating the difference between a ‘carved turn’ and ‘skidding.’ “The most efficient turn occurs when the snowboarder does a purely carved turn, in which the snowboard is pointing in the same direction as its velocity,” (Physics Of Snowboarding) while on the other hand the skidding movement slows a snowboarder as snow provides resistance to their movement. I also used the idea of velocity to explain the concept of ‘pumping,’ which refers to the leg movement causing the speed of the snowboarders to be increased as they move through the half-pipe (SportsGirlATL). Pumping also causes the maneuvers of flips which are horizontal change of direction, and rotations which are circular movements in the air to be executed by the snow-boarder at high speeds. Acceleration refers to the increase in speed of the snowboarder due to pumping as well as change in direction during the flips and rotation. Increased speeds require great accelerations, which also means that on changing direction, snowboarders are impacted by large forces which can be between 2.5-2.7 times their body mass (VideosatNSF). Thus, in the …show more content…
I particularly discussed in my video how a snowboarder can manipulate the idea of torque and angular momentum which is proportional to a) mass, b) velocity and c) the radius of snowboarder (Christman). Since angular momentum is conserved, decrease in one quantity would be balanced by increase in another quantity. It will benefit the snowboarder to crouch down in the straight part of the half-pipe; and on the edge of the half-pipe they can grab the tail of the snowboard (TheNewYorkTimes) and tuck their arms inside to become compact. (The Physics of Snowboarding). Since angular momentum is conserved, the actions mentioned would result in the decrease of body radius of the snowboarder which will result in respective increase of their speed. It is also due to this reason, when entering the curved portion of the half-pipe snowboarders lift their body and arms up to decrease their radius, which results in exiting the pipe at greater speed than would be possible otherwise. Along with this, I presented my viewers with the basic understanding of momentum, which is the rate of change of the resultant force. Thus, to avoid injuries from the ‘shock,’ which a snow-boarder might suffer on landing on a flat surface, the snowboarder should land on a slope surface of the half-pipe which will allow the force to be disturbed over a longer time instead of their bodies feeling this force instantly in the