The Effect Of Temperature On The Friction Of Skiing

What type of ski wax will reduce the friction between ski bases and snow the best: rub on, paste, spray on, or hot. Skis slide because when pressure is applied to the snow it creates a thin layer of water in between the ski bases and the snow. Furthermore, skis repel water causing them to slide instead of sticking to the snow. If ski wax is applied by rubbing, pasting, spraying, melting, then melt on wax will reduce the most friction because it coats the skis more evenly, fills in small imperfections and provides a thicker protective barrier.

Alpine skiing is a sport known to many around the world; it consists having your feet attached to skis with fixed heel bindings sliding down snow-covered hills. Friction is the force that resists the motion of two different objects sliding against each other. Without friction a skier would never be able to stop. Ski wax is meant to reduce the friction of ski, by doing so it improves the skier’s speed as he or she making their way down the hill. Velocity is how long it takes an object to travel over a set distance. This can easily be related to speed, which is calculated the same as velocity.

I developed my experiment by finding out what interested me first.

Physics is the area of science I enjoy the most to learn about and experiment with. From that point I started to think about potential experiments I would enjoy and the ones that would benefit society. I’m a passionate skier and ski almost every Saturday when Bogus Basin is open. Skiing from a young age I have always wondered about ski wax and why my skis slide. Over the course owning my own skis I have occasionally waxed them. I have used hot wax and rub on wax before. I was curious if there was a better wax I should be using. I came to the conclusion I would test four different types of ski wax to see which reduce friction the

best.
The independent variable I changed in my experiment was ski wax. I measured how long it took an ice disc to reach the bottom of the ski, a distance of 1.5 meters. After I recorded the time I calculated the velocity to see how long it took it to travel per seconds. Additionally, I kept any other variable that could of impacted the results consistent. These consist of ice disc weight, lighting, temperature, height, and environment the experiment was performed in. I also stuck the ice in the freezer so it would not melt thus changing its weight and mass.
Materials I used in my experiment are:
• Ski
• Ice discs
• Rub on wax
• Paste wax
• Spray on wax
• Hot wax
• Hot Iron
• Timer
• Wax remover and brush
• Wood blocks
• Cylindrical container
I performed the experiment by:
1. Gathering all tools and supplies
2. Test control and document time at three predetermined heights
3. Clean, apply rub on wax, test, and record times at the same three predetermined heights
4. Clean, apply paste wax, test, and record times at the same three predetermined heights
5. Clean, apply spray on wax, test, and record times at the same three predetermined heights
6. Clean, apply hot wax, test, and record at the same three predetermined heights
7. Compile data and create tables/graphs to show outcomes.

First, I slide ice discs down a ski propped up at heights of 20, 25, and 30 cm. The ice discs weight was approximately 35.44 grams. Next, a wax was applied to the ski and had three trials for each height to get a good average. Finally, after all the trials for each height took place a wax cleaner was applied to strip all the wax off the ski then another wax was trialed.
I measured the time it took the ice disc to slide down the ski and the speed of it. After I calculated the velocity of the ice disc. I measured all of this with a stopwatch. From 20 cm the wax that reduced friction the best to the worst: hot, rub on, paste, spray on, and control. For 25 cm: hot, rub on, paste, control, and spray on. At 30 cm: hot, rub on, paste, control, and spray on. Rub on and paste waxes are quick waxes meaning they can be applied in less than five minutes. Spray on wax is traditionally used as a topcoat; it didn’t work properly by itself causing it to increase friction. Hot wax is a traditional type of wax that needs to be melted on and scraped off so a thin layer if left. Too much will slow the skier down as well as too little. Likewise, it provides a thicker protective barrier. If ski wax is applied by rubbing, pasting, spraying, or melting, the melt on wax will reduce the most friction because it coats the skis more evenly, fills in tiny imperfections and provides a thicker protective barrier.