The Science of Jumping

What happens when an ice skater jumps? The answer can be modeled in various levels of difficulty. One the simplest level, assume that the skater is simply a point mass object, without movement within the body. In this analysis, acceleration occurs in three planes, leading to changes in altitude and rotation. 

On the most complex level, the skater's body must be analysed as separate components moving in relation to the center of mass, which for most humans is approximately in the center of the abdomen or hips.

Discussion Questions

1. What everyday motions are related to skating? 
2. If skater motion were to be studied by making comparisons between graphs, which types of motions should be compared?

Volume 4 of Glide, Spin, & Jump: The Science of Ice Skating contains graphs of acceleration, force, and vertical distance in a series of motions completed by the author. 

Graphs of Motion

• Standing to Squatting Position
• Jumping with No Rotation
• Rotation with No Jumping
• Skating Jumps on Land
• Skating Jump on Synthetic Ice

Jumps on Land

• Half Jumps
• Stag
• Waltz
• Ballet 
• Mazurka
• Half Axel
• Single & Double Jumps
• Salchow
• Loop
• Toe Loop
• Flip
• Lutz
• Axel

The following two graphs are excerpted from Volume 4 of Glide, Spin, & Jump: The Science of Ice Skating. Notice that these jumps, completed in a purely vertical direction on land, are simpler to analyze, because they lack the horizontal translational motion across the ice. 

Discussion Questions

1. What are the major differences between these graphs?
2. In these graphs, how can direction be determined? What direction is up?
3. In each graph, what occurs in the vertical direction? 
4. In the lower graph, what is the pattern of acceleration in the horizontal plane during the rotations?
5. In each graph, what sort of tilt (side to side) occurs?
6. Is it better to locate the wireless device on the stomach or chest? Why?
7. Describe the role of knee motions during each of the above jumps, and their effects on acceleration.
8. What is the role of non-relevant movements (such as the motion of breathing) in these graphs, if any?
9. What is the role of error or random motion in these graphs, if any? 
10. Are these clean (technically correct) jumps? If not, what would the acceleration pattern be during a clean jump?
11. What would a fall look like in a graph of acceleration?
12. What would the graphs look like if the jumps were completed on the ice?

Additional free graphs of ice skating are available in a free pamphlet from the publisher's webpage. A humorous cartoon animation of an ice skater, showing approximate force vectors, is available from the publisher's YouTube channel.

The following books from Schottenbauer Publishing contain similar types of graphs and data pertaining to the science of ice skating, figure skating, and hockey:

Graphs & Data for Science Lab: Multi-Volume Series

• The Science of Ice Skating 
• Volume 1: Translational Motion
• Volume 2: Rotational Motion (Curves)
• Volume 3: Rotational Motion (Spins)
• Volume 4: Jumps
• Volume 5: Ice Hockey
• Volume 6: Biophysics
• Volume 7: Video Analysis
• Volume 8: Reference Manual
• The Science of Hockey
• Volume 1: Force, Acceleration, & Video Analysis of Pucks & Balls
• Volume 2: Force & Acceleration of Sticks, plus Biophysics
• Volume 3: Video Analysis of Ice, Field, & Street Hockey Sticks

Anthologies of 28 Graphs

• The Science of Figure Skating
• The Science of Ice Hockey
• The Science of Winter Olympic Sports

In addition, the following books are suitable for younger children learning geometry:

Geometry Workbooks

• The Geometry of Figure Skating
• The Geometry of Winter Olympic Sports 

Additional Information

Schottenbauer Publishing

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