Innovations in Figure Skating
Development of Figure Skating Boots
(the picture on the right shows figure skating boots before the blades are mounted on)
The pictures to the right depict how figure skates have changed over time. So why have these innovations occurred? Because of Physics! More recent figure skating boots are made with thicker, stronger leather to be able to provide more support around the ankle. This causes there to be more time for a skater to take in the impact of their landings when they jump. Since the equation for impact is written as J=F∆t, we know that F=J/∆t. When this is the case, we can figure out why the thickness of figure skates become so important. With a larger amount of time to land (with thick, modern skates), ∆t would increase, thus meaning that J would be divided by a larger number and creating a smaller F. This smaller amount of force causes a lower chance of injury and more protection for when a skater lands. By using physics, the change in material and density of skating boots have helped skaters stay safe and land larger and more rotational jumps over the years.
Ice Resurfacing
Above: Frank Zamboni (inventor of the zamboni)
Frank Zamboni (depicted on the right) first invented the Zamboni, which is still used today to resurface the ice. His invention had a large impact on figure skating because it created a much easier way to smooth down the ice just by driving over it rather than by manually having to cut and water the ice. Ice resurfacing plays a major role in the physics because when there is a thin layer of water covering the surface, it causes there to be a coefficient of friction that equals approximately zero. This makes it is easier for a skater to glide without having to be continually slowed down by friction.
The Use of the Toe Pick
Above: Jackson Haines
During the 1870's, Jackson Haines was the first skater to have invented the "toe pick" for figure skating blades. This feature is placed at the top of the blade, where it forms small, jagged spikes. This addition to the figure skate introduced a large variety of new elements to the world of figure skating because it enabled many spins and toe jumps (jumps taken off from the toe pick) to be performed. Toe jumps are made possible by using the toe pick to dig into the ice and create power for the jump. Without the toe pick, skaters would not be able to grip the ice strongly for the take off of any toe jump because the frictionless surface would cause them to slide. Because figure skaters need toe picks, their skate blades are very different from those of hockey players, which are smoother and non-jagged at the top.