Question: how would I go about considering the amount of work done by the skater's legs? Would that be just an estimate based on how much a person can push with their legs?
So if he does change his height, that would change the radius from the center of the halfpipe (assuming it's a semi-circle), which would change... angular velocity? I've looked at this link briefly: https://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/physics-of-skateboarding.html
Think it could point...
Since he's back to the same height, at TE=PE+KE, he should have no kinetic energy and all potential, right?
So in theory he wouldn't ever get above the 3.66m halfpipe?
This is why I'm pretty sure I'm missing something, or pursuing the wrong avenue.
I've calculated the potential energy at the top of the halfpipe, before the boarder drops in:
PE = 39.5 kg * 9.8 m/s^2 * 3.66 m = 1416 J
Since the boarder would have no potential energy and all kinetic energy at the bottom of the halfpipe,
KE = 1/2mv^2 = 1416 J
1/2 (39.5 kg) (v^2) = 1416 J
So...