What Physics Topics Relate to Ski Lifts?

[Chairliftop]

Hello Everybody!

I am looking for some help in formulating an investigation topic relating to ski lifts. What measurable physics topics relate to ski lifts?

One idea I came up with how much downward pressure of riders on a chairlift would overcome the friction of the haul rope (the cable) on the bull wheel (the main wheel at the bottom and top terminals)? How would I go about calculating this?

Thank you so much in advance!

 

[BvU]

Hello ClO,

How would I go about calculating this?

Well, you set the distance between skiers on the haul side of the rope, say 10 m. You pick a length for the haul side of rope, say 500 m. So 50 skiers at any time. Average weight, slope angle and there you go (with a few relevant equations -- you collect them and list them in a next post). You could ignore friction at first, perhaps later add a friction coefficient -- if that's already been treated in you class.

 

[anorlunda]

Calculation won't help if you don't know the friction. Can you ruin a test with zero riders and measure the electric power consumption. That's a fair approximation of the friction losses.

Better still its to run a real test with riders and measure the power consumption dynamically.

 

[BvU]

Is this a thought experiment? Or do you have a ski lift available ? You could measure the force needed to haul one skier up with a spring balance

(picture borrowed from here -- you'll need a heavier kind)

Note that this force has to compensate some dynamic friction plus a fraction of the weight of the skier !