- Joined
- May 4, 2017
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- 1,141
This is a test. You are traveling down a straight away as a passenger in an old Ford Pickup with a bench seat. Suddenly a deer jumps out and the driver swerves to the left. You feel pain in your right arm as you and the door collide. Question: did you move into the door or did the door move into you?
Those who understand Centripetal force know that door moved into you. But you will swear that pain in your arm came from you being slammed into the door.
As @mdf 's article points out. Frame of Reference is key. And Frame of Reference is also key in the instruction of skiing. Something many of us continually overlook.
The way I have come to understand the force that we call Centrifugal is based on Newton's first law.... Body in motion remains in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. The term "Motion" is understood as straight line motion. So when we are moving in a turning arc, the skis that are creating said arc and your mass, which is along for the ride, are constantly trying to escape the Centripetal force and will do so should the skier not maintain the "Centripetal Mechanics" for lack of a better term.
Finally, there is a factor in all of this physics talk, that we don't often realize when it comes to skiing.In the pickup example the energy is provided by the vehicle whose driver can easily adjust by stepping on the gas or break.
But in skiing, the energy for motion is provided by the slope and constant pull of gravity. So (assuming medium radius carved turns on a groomed blue) if we join a series of turns in progress, the energy for transition and initiation comes from the results of the previous turn. Heading into the new turn (wanting it or not) it is the slope and gravity that is providing the unbridled energy and that energy ramps up quite quickly causing fear in those not skilled and trained to handle it.
This is also why we advocate starting the carving process early (while your new outside ski is still uphill) so the Centripetal generation process we call carving, is in full swing by the time you reach the energy generating fall line and apex of the turn.
Those who understand Centripetal force know that door moved into you. But you will swear that pain in your arm came from you being slammed into the door.
As @mdf 's article points out. Frame of Reference is key. And Frame of Reference is also key in the instruction of skiing. Something many of us continually overlook.
The way I have come to understand the force that we call Centrifugal is based on Newton's first law.... Body in motion remains in motion unless acted upon by an outside force. The term "Motion" is understood as straight line motion. So when we are moving in a turning arc, the skis that are creating said arc and your mass, which is along for the ride, are constantly trying to escape the Centripetal force and will do so should the skier not maintain the "Centripetal Mechanics" for lack of a better term.
Finally, there is a factor in all of this physics talk, that we don't often realize when it comes to skiing.In the pickup example the energy is provided by the vehicle whose driver can easily adjust by stepping on the gas or break.
But in skiing, the energy for motion is provided by the slope and constant pull of gravity. So (assuming medium radius carved turns on a groomed blue) if we join a series of turns in progress, the energy for transition and initiation comes from the results of the previous turn. Heading into the new turn (wanting it or not) it is the slope and gravity that is providing the unbridled energy and that energy ramps up quite quickly causing fear in those not skilled and trained to handle it.
This is also why we advocate starting the carving process early (while your new outside ski is still uphill) so the Centripetal generation process we call carving, is in full swing by the time you reach the energy generating fall line and apex of the turn.
