ARTi
How do vert skaters gain speed on a halfpipe without pushing their feet?
Chapter 1

The ollie and the laws of motion

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Answer

Chapter 2

Energy and momentum on vert ramps

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Answer

Chapter 3

Street geometry and balance

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Answer

Chapter 4

The materials science of skateboards

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Answer

YOUR GOAL

Master of The physics of skateboarding

Ch 2 · Energy and momentum on vert ramps
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Kinetic Cruiser
BETA

nic Time your board flips to discover how gravity and momentum control skateboard tricks.

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nic Vert Ramp Physics

Squat on the flat, stand up on the curve! (Pump it up!) Defy gravity with a massive speed surge! (Oh yeah!)

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nic The extreme mega ramp leap

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The extreme mega ramp leap

nic Massive ramps convert high gravitational potential energy into extreme speed and height.

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Spinning in three dimensions

nic Tucking arms close to the body increases spin speed during aerial rotations.

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Fun Fact

The 900 spin: Tony Hawk spent over ten years practicing the 900-degree spin before landing it in 1999.

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Glossary
pumping (noun)
The act of moving something up and down or back and forth to generate force or motion. Tony Hawk demonstrated this method to gain speed on curved walls at the 2024 Vert Alert.

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Gossip

Would you ever try riding a skateboard loop-the-loop?

Jul 30

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Quiz

What physics principle explains why a skater spins faster when pulling their arms inward?

Jul 30

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nic Spinning in three dimensions

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Quiz

Who was the first skateboarder to land a 900-degree spin in 1999?

Jul 30

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nic Pumping the transition for speed

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Quiz

What speed can skateboarders reach on a Mega Ramp roll-in?

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nic Staying glued to the wall

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Quiz

What type of energy is stored when a skateboarder stands at the top of a high ramp?

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Quiz

How tall can the roll-in hills of skateboarding Mega Ramps be?

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Quiz

What force keeps a skateboarder's wheels pressed against the ramp during a loop-the-loop?

Jul 30

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Quiz

How do vert skaters gain speed on a halfpipe without pushing their feet?

Jul 30

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Quiz

Who was the first skateboarder to successfully ride a full loop-the-loop in 2001?

Jul 30