THE PHYSICS OF FIGURE

SKATING FALL 2015

BY C A M I L L E B E R S O N D A

FIGURE SKATING

PHYSICS CONCEPTS

• Angular Momentum – Spins, Angular Velocity• Center of Mass – Over the point of support, varies in pair skating• Centripetal Force – Spins involving pair skating, “The Death Spiral”• Projectile Motion – Jumps

SPIRALS AND AXELS

• Angular Momentum: L = Iω– Decreasing moment of inertia increases

velocity of spin• Conservation of Angular Momentum :Iiωi

= Ifωf

– When airborne, angular momentum is conserved and the skater is a projectile

• Angular Velocity: ω = revolutions/flight time

• Moment of inertia = MR2

THE DEATH SPIRAL

SPINS – THE DEATH SPIRAL

• Newton’s Second Law:Fnet = ma

• Centripetal Acceleration:ac = vt

2/R ac =ω2R• Force exerted by the ice:

Fp = Mac (M1 + M2)(ω2R)• Fp is equal to the force the

male skater must exert on the ice

REFERENCESConservation of Angular Momentum. Physics & Biomechanics. Retrieved from

http://btc.montana.edu/olympics/physbio/biomechanics/cam03.htmlGiancoli, D. C. (2009). Physics for Scientists and Engineers: Modern Physics. NJ: Pearson Education.Langenbeck, D.F., & Fortan, J.D., & Harrington, L.S., The Biomechanics of

Figure Skating [PDF File] Philadelphia: Hanley & Belfus Inc. Retrieved from http://www.spine-technology.com/uploads/2/7/4/0/2740645/41_the_biomechanics_of_figure_skating.pdf

The Physics of Figure Skating. Real World Physics Problems. Retrieved from http://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/physics-of-figure-skating.html