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Luge vs skeleton vs bobsled6/3/2023 So the difference between gold and a disappointing result comes not from gravity and potential energy, but from a fast start, being as aerodynamic as possible and taking the shortest path down the track. Even tiny mistakes made by the best athletes in the world can cost a medal.Īll the athletes start at the same height and go down the same track. The difference between the gold medal and silver medal in the men’s singles luge at the 2018 Winter Olympics was just 0.026 seconds. Final times are calculated by adding four runs together. Most tracks are around a mile long (1.6 km), and the athletes cover that distance in just under a minute. Racers need to be as aerodynamic as possible to minimize drag and go faster. Though bobsled, luge and skeleton may look easy, in reality they are anything but. When athletes enter a turn at 80 mph (129 kph) they experience accelerations that can reach five times that of normal gravitational acceleration. Racers are dealing with a lot of kinetic energy and strong forces. Both gravitational potential energy and kinetic energy increase as weight increases, meaning there is more energy in a four-person bobsled team than there is in a one-person luge or skeleton for a given speed. The reason a flying baseball will shatter the glass if it hits a window is that the ball transfers its kinetic energy to the glass. The potential energy is converted to another form of energy once the object starts falling. Gravitational potential energy represents stored energy and increases as an object is raised farther from Earth’s surface. Riders in the sledding events reach their fast speeds because of the conversion of gravitational potential energy into kinetic energy. The track is roughly a mile long (1.6 km), drops 397 feet of elevation (121 meters) – with the steepest section being an incredible 18% grade – and comprises 16 curves. This year’s races are taking place at the Yanqing National Sliding Center.
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