Ice Skating is a well loved hobby
for many people. Between hockey, figure skating, and
skating for fun, there is something for everyone on
the ice. Many people ice skate, but how many people
think about the physics behind ice skating? This web
project will attempt to explain some of the basic
physics behind ice skating and why ice skates are
made the way they are made.
Friction is a force the opposes motion. Friction is
what allows people to walk. A person’s foot pushes
backward against the ground and the frictional
force, acting opposite the direction of motion (in
this case the motion of the foot, not the overall
motion of the person), causes the person to move
forward. Ice adds new challenges. People tend to
find it difficult to walk on ice and it is common
for people to fall. Friction is the reason people
often fall on ice. Ice has very little friction. In
2019, Bonn wrote that there is a thin layer of
meltwater on top of ice that reduces friction and
makes skating possible. The origin of the layer of
meltwater is beyond the scope of this discussion,
but they lack of friction because of the layer of
meltwater explains why walking normally on ice does
not work well.
Throughout history, people have
come up with different ways to efficiently move
along the ice.
https://www.choosechicago.com/articles/parks-outdoors/5-unique-ice-skating-rinks-in-chicago/
