(no subject)

[dreamer_easy]

Can you skate faster in lower gravity?

Comments

[elsaf]

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.

[browneyedgirl65.livejournal.com]

I'd doubt that you'd skate faster, unless there was less air friction to slow your mass down.

But you'd probably hit every triple or quadruple axel you tried :)

Let's find out!

[lynsaurus.livejournal.com]

If you find a way to test this personally, I'd love to join you in the interest of science.

[jeriendhal.livejournal.com]

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.

[hiraethin.livejournal.com]

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.

Some sort of thruster would be useful.

[pbristow.livejournal.com]

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}