So far we have looked a simple way physics is involved in snowboarding but it has not applied to big mountain boarding specifically. One thing that big mountain snowboarders often have to contend with is avalanches. So lets look at a fun question about big mountain snowboarding.
Can a Snowboarder Outrun and Avalanche?
The first thing to look at is how fast can a snowboarder go down a mountain. The answer to this question is found in the following equation.
mgsin(theta)=µmgcos(theta)+pAcdv^2/2
G: gravity
Theta: slope of mountain
Mu: coefficient of kinetic friction
Ro: density of air
A: frontal area of snowboarder
cd: drag coefficient
v: velocity
Given all this information we can solve for terminal velocity of a snowboarder in a given set of conditions. Of course conditions are always changing during a decent and this will only allow you to find a snapshot of max velocity. The snowboard speed record is 126mph set by Darren Powell. So how fast do avalanches travel down the mountain? A typical avalanche that a snowboarder may encounter will travel from 60-200mph. The thing that is interesting to note is that the things that will make a avalanche travel faster down a slop are the same things that will make a snowboarder travel faster down a slope. Specifically less friction and a steeper slope.
A snowboarder that sees an avalanche coming has a chance to stay ahead of it but must be prepared to go very fast! Not recommended.
