Science behind skiing

Originally Posted by

write up for a grade.

Jay, I just re-read the OP (should do that more often b4 posting) and
re-realized that it's all just for a high school grade. Just about
anything will do for a high school grade.

I know that just about anything will do, but what would be the fun in that? I'm just gathering information anyways and its always better to have extra.
Right now, I think that I will focus on the effect that different waxes have on speed, kick and so on. I have not got it sorted out totally yet.
Thank you for the advice Zeke, and also Bjorn too. Libaries are always a good source of information. It would have taken me a while before thinking of ice physics, if I would of at all.

Nordic_Addict wrote:
Thank you for the advice Zeke, and also Bjorn too. Libaries are always
a good source of information. It would have taken me a while before
thinking of ice physics, if I would of at all.

Here's a e.g. from the ice physics. (My memory is fuzzy, but I seem to
remember) they had an experiement comparing drag with different
materials, plastic, metals, etc. They found a good correlation of drag
to thermal conductivity. So if you conduct heat away from the surface,
drag goes up.

Jay

Jay,

I think you are referring to the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics,
published by the CRC. It has a whole whack of data on ice, and the
coeffecients of friction between various metals/solids and ice.

http://www.hbcpnetbase.com/

Search for snow, ice, friction etc.

I find the actual book a bit easier and more informative than their website.

You might also want to look at how snow crystals are characterized using
the Magono and Lee system - http://emu.arsusda.gov/snowsite/default.html

Here's a great article on snow -
http://ej.iop.org/links/ru4mSX0qn/bu...rpp5_4_R03.pdf

Hope that helps.
Craig

Bjorn A. Payne Diaz wrote:
Nordic_Addict wrote:
Thank you for the advice Zeke, and also Bjorn too. Libaries are always
a good source of information. It would have taken me a while before
thinking of ice physics, if I would of at all.

Here's a e.g. from the ice physics. (My memory is fuzzy, but I seem to
remember) they had an experiement comparing drag with different
materials, plastic, metals, etc. They found a good correlation of drag
to thermal conductivity. So if you conduct heat away from the surface,
drag goes up.

Jay

Zeke wrote
Does anyone use books for research papers anymore?

A recent book full of fascinating insights and stories related to the
physics of ice is:

"Ice", by Mariana Gosnell (Knopf, 2005)

subtitle: "the nature, the history, and the uses of an astonishing
substance".

Not much in it specifically about cross-country skiing, but there's a few
pages on the different theories of how it's possible to glide on ice. (the
answer is not obvious)

Ken

Thanks everyone for the help. All that I can do right now is wade through everything I have, and find what I need. This is helping immensely, so please keep adding stuff if you have it.
Isaac