Where:
g is the acceleration due to gravity, which is equal to 9.8 m/s2 on earth
G is the center of mass of the system (which consists of skater plus skates, which together can be treated as a rigid body)
P is the approximate contact point between the skater's blades and the ice
L is the distance between point P and point G
Fx is the horizontal contact force, with the ice, acting on the skater's blade at point P
Fy is the vertical contact force, with the ice, acting on the skater's blade at point P
R is the radius of the turn, measured from the center of the turn to the center of mass G of the system
ac is the centripetal acceleration of point G. This acceleration is in the horizontal direction and points towards the center of the turn
θ is the angle between the horizontal and the line passing through points P and G. This is the angle of "lean" (a constant)
The center of mass G has zero vertical acceleration. Therefore, the forces in the vertical direction acting on the system must sum to zero. Mathematically this can be written as
vertical forces sum to zero for speed skater as he goes around a turn
where m is the mass of the system (which consists of skater plus skates).
Apply Newton's second law in the horizontal direction:
newtons second law applied to horizontal direction for speed skater as he goes around a turn
The centripetal acceleration is given by
centripetal acceleration of speed skater as he goes around a turn
where v is the velocity of the center of mass G. This velocity is pointing out of the page.
Substitute this equation into the previous equation and we get
newtons second law applied to horizontal direction for speed skater as he goes around a turn 2
Since θ is constant, the system is in a state of rotational equilibrium. This means there is zero moment acting on the system about the center of mass G, about an axis pointing out of the page. Mathematically we can write this as
zero moment acting on skater about center of mass G
(Note that we are ignoring three-dimensional effects in this equation. They are assumed to be negligible).
Combine equations (1)-(3). We get
final result for angle of lean of skater as he goes around a turn
Based on this result we can do a sample calculation. For example, let's say R = 8.5 m and v = 10 m/s. The angle of lean is θ = 39.8° .
This concludes the discussion on the physics of ice skating.
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