No, you can't. You could sled faster because less weight would mean less friction against the ground. But skating all but removes the friction element and your speed would be determined by air resistance and momentum, which is determined by mass -- which doesn't change in lower gravity.
My brother says, yes, you could skate faster in a vacuum because that would remove the air resistance.
He also offered that in low-gravity, the air would be less dense (if you weren't in a pressurized environment), so you might have a little less air resistance. However, this would be balanced by a reduction in the force you could exert to push yourself forward, because the friction between the wheels and the ground would be less.
You'd probably have to skate slower (at least at first) because ground/wheel coefficient would be lower, allowing less control, and it would be much harder to slow down once your mass gained momentum. But as others have mentioned, your stunts could be frigging spectacular.
I would have thought that maximum possible velocity would be higher. Assuming resistance due to air remains the same, there would still be lower friction between the skates and the surface. OTOH you actually use that friction to accelerate, so you'd take longer to reach top speed.
As others have noted, vis-a-vis the physics, probably not. As far as the human element goes: I think you'd have to skate more *carfeully*/delicately in lower gravity, and thus would probably go slower until you'd got plenty of practice. On the upside, if you get it wrong: Less painful boo-boos. =:o}
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-08-10 11:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-11 08:58 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-11 11:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-11 12:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-11 01:15 pm (UTC)He also offered that in low-gravity, the air would be less dense (if you weren't in a pressurized environment), so you might have a little less air resistance. However, this would be balanced by a reduction in the force you could exert to push yourself forward, because the friction between the wheels and the ground would be less.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-11 02:20 pm (UTC)Ah! Are we talking roller skating or ice skating? I was assuming the latter 'til now.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-11 12:01 am (UTC)But you'd probably hit every triple or quadruple axel you tried :)
Let's find out!
Date: 2009-08-11 01:52 am (UTC)Re: Let's find out!
Date: 2009-08-11 03:48 am (UTC)Re: Let's find out!
Date: 2009-08-11 04:04 am (UTC)Re: Let's find out!
Date: 2009-08-11 09:00 am (UTC)(*calculates* a sub-orbital hop would take a while, though.)
no subject
Date: 2009-08-11 08:43 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-08-11 10:50 am (UTC)Some sort of thruster would be useful.
no subject
Date: 2009-08-11 02:24 pm (UTC)