Does Mass Affect Speed on Slopes?

In summary, heavier skiers go down faster because air resistance (drag) has a lesser affect on them. They also have more momentum. Air drag is the same for all objects, but the mass of the skier changes the person's velocity.
  • #1
saucemoss
3
0
Hi,
Im on a sking trip with 6 od my friends and they all say thathat a heavier skieer caches up on speed on slope faster than lighter one, (no matter the volume od the ski person). I am saying that mass od the skier does not matter, but the won't listem to me. Am I wrong and crazy? IF I am right, how can I explain it to them? Please help
Bregards
 
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  • #2
saucemoss said:
Hi,
Im on a sking trip with 6 od my friends and they all say thathat a heavier skieer caches up on speed on slope faster than lighter one, (no matter the volume od the ski person). I am saying that mass od the skier does not matter, but the won't listem to me. Am I wrong and crazy? IF I am right, how can I explain it to them? Please help
Bregards
Your wrong and your crazy! . . . just kidding :smile:

No, heavier skiers go down faster because air resistance (drag) has a lesser affect on them. They also have more momentum. Oh, and you also have to account for the snow's friction. Once you add up all these factors, you'll find that the mass of the skier does, in fact, change the person's velocity.
 
  • #3
saucemoss said:
Im saying that mass od the skier does not matter
That's correct if you're in a vacuum (no air), since nothing like air resistance exists in a vacuum. However, skiing down a slope is much to the contrary.
 
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  • #4
saucemoss said:
they all say thathat a heavier skieer caches up on speed on slope faster than lighter one, (no matter the volume od the ski person).
Assuming all skiers have the same density, drag and friction coefficients, that is correct.

saucemoss said:
Im saying that mass od the skier does not matter,
Only if you also ignore air drag.
 
  • #5
When you drop two balls that have the same volume but different mass from any height they will be accelerated at the same rate since gravity acceleration is the same. They will fall at the same time. Air drag is the same because the volume is the same. where is the difference when I introduce slope? Only force that is accelerating skiier is gravity. What don't I understand? :(
 
  • #6
saucemoss said:
When you drop two balls that have the same volume but different mass from any height they will be accelerated at the same rate since gravity acceleration is the same. They will fall at the same time.
Not in air.
saucemoss said:
Air drag is the same
Same drag & Different weight -> Different net force to mass ratio -> Different acceleration
 
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Likes ProfuselyQuarky
  • #7
saucemoss said:
When you drop two balls that have the same volume but different mass from any height they will be accelerated at the same rate since gravity acceleration is the same. They will fall at the same time. Air drag is the same because the volume is the same. where is the difference when I introduce slope? Only force that is accelerating skiier is gravity. What don't I understand? :(
Yep, you're right. Since the acceleration due to gravity is the same for all objects, all objects regardless of mass, would fall at the same rate in a vacuum. Air resistance is not the same for all objects because the affects that drag has on an object is proportional to the mass (and even shape) of the object. And, like how I said before, there are other factors involved. If you drop a flat sheet of paper at the same time as a crumpled sheet of paper, which do you think will fall first?
 
  • #8
I get it now. Thanks for answers :)
 
  • #9
saucemoss said:
I get it now. Thanks for answers :)
Have fun for the remainder of your ski trip!
 

What is slope acceleration?

Slope acceleration refers to the change in velocity over time for an object moving along a slope or incline. It is the result of the force of gravity acting on the object.

How does mass affect slope acceleration?

The mass of an object has a direct effect on its slope acceleration. Objects with larger masses will experience a greater gravitational force and therefore have a higher slope acceleration compared to objects with smaller masses.

What is the relationship between slope acceleration and mass?

The relationship between slope acceleration and mass is described by Newton's Second Law of Motion, which states that the acceleration of an object is directly proportional to the net force acting on the object and inversely proportional to its mass. This means that as mass increases, slope acceleration also increases, assuming the net force remains constant.

How can slope acceleration be calculated?

Slope acceleration can be calculated by dividing the net force acting on an object by its mass. This can be represented by the equation a = F/m, where a is slope acceleration, F is net force, and m is mass.

What factors besides mass can affect slope acceleration?

Other factors that can affect slope acceleration include the angle of the slope, the friction between the object and the surface, and any additional forces acting on the object such as air resistance or applied forces.

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