The Physics Related to Snowboarding

The Physics Related to Snowboarding

The last thing that is going through your mind when speeding down a mountain on a snowboard is all the physics involved with snowboarding, from the time you get on the chair lift, until the time you come to a rest at the bottom of the mountain. Now let’s take a look at all of the physics that are related to snowboarding.

Gravity- is the force that keeps you on the ground. Without gravity snowboarding would not be the same. For example, if there were no gravity, when you hit a jump, there would not be a force to bring you back to the ground. You would just float in mid air forever. While riding a snowboard a constant force of 9.8 Newton’s (N) is pushing down on every inch of your body. It does not only push you down the mountain, but it keeps the snowboard on the snow trail.

Acceleration- is the speed that changes to get you to a constant speed. Acceleration is calculated by (A=Vf-Vi/Tf-Ti). Acceleration equals final velocity minus initial velocity over the final time minus initial time. The cause for the acceleration down the mountain varies by the mass of the person, wind, snow condition, and the type of snowboard that you are riding. Also, hopping once or twice should increase the acceleration time. Acceleration is not only the change of speed, but also occurs when slowing down to come to a stop. This type of acceleration is called negative acceleration.

Velocity- velocity can be measured by calculating the distance you have traveled divided by the time it takes you to ride the distance (V=D/T). Velocity is mostly measured in miles per hour or kilometers per hour, but can also be measured using any distance and time measurements. With the high speeds that can be achieved, snowboa...

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...es of the snowboard. Balancing the snowboard and riding on the rail, momentum keeps pushing on both of them down the rail. You may also see more torque when you are on the top of the mountain or hill and you are teetering on the edge. Putting more mass on the front of the snowboard will cause the front of the snowboard to droop downhill, therefore causing you to take off down the mountain.

So next time you go snowboarding, keep in mind all the things that involve physics, but still have fun. Always remember the most important thing of all, safety first.

REFERENCES

Cohen, Neil. Sports Illustrated for Kids Books. “Everything You Want To Know About Sports Encyclopedia”. Cover and Interior Design: New York, New York; 1996.

Kirkpatrick, Larry D. and Gerald F. Wheeler. Physics: A World View. Fourth Edition. Harcourt College Publishers: Orlando, Florida, 2001.