9781422274804

Maximizing friction by turning their skate blades perpendicular to the direction of motion allows players to stop suddenly.

Instead of pointing the skate blade in the direction they are traveling, skaters turn the skates to a sudden 90-degree angle, creating maximum friction and enabling them to stop abruptly. Velocity, or speed, is one of the key components of kinematics. Velocity, the time rate of change of position of the skater, is calculated by dividing the distance traveled in a given direction by the time it takes to travel that distance, or v=d/t . Acceleration is another key component. Acceleration is the measure of how much a player’s speed or direction changes over a given period of time. During acceleration, velocity is constantly changing, like with a player on a breakaway trying to pull away from an opponent. Average acceleration is calculated by dividing velocity by time, or a=v/t . The more force a player exerts with his or her legs, the faster he or she will accelerate to maximum velocity.

CHAPTER 1 : SKATING

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