The Physics of Skiing: Skiing at the Triple Point [Paperback]

David Lind (Author), Scott P. Sanders (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1997 | ISBN-10: 1563963191 | ISBN-13: 978-1563963193

Intended for the general reader, skiing enthusiast, and scientifically literate, this book covers the physics of skiing and the physical properties of natural and man-made materials (i.e. snow and skis) with much attention paid to the dynamics of movement. "The triple point" in this book has two meanings: one being the point where the three potential states of water (solid, liquid, and vapour) coexist and which obviously is of special concern to skiers. The second "triple point" occurs when the increased understanding of the "how" and "why" joins with the experience of "wow" and we feel the fullest enjoyment of the sport of skiing.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Delivered with insight and clarity, this book deserves a spot on the shelf of any ski devotee and winter mountaineer. [It] presents a collection of ideas that has something to offer each time it's opened." -- Linda Crockett, Education Director, Professional Ski Instructors of America

"This skier and physicist found it a pleasure to read about the history of skiing and to have a well-written book on the physics of snow, equipment, and skiing techniques." -- Ernest M. Henley, Physics Department, University of Washington

Product Details

• Paperback: 250 pages
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (September 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1563963191
• ISBN-13: 978-1563963193
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,373,929 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #78 in Books > Sports & Outdoors > Outdoor Recreation > Skiing > Downhill

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars lots of data; lack of concept; slightly out-of-date, January 24, 2003

By 

+++ (OR, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Physics of Skiing: Skiing at the Triple Point (Paperback)

I am a firm believer that understanding of the mechanics of a carving ski and of the forces transferred between the skis and the skier as he makes his way down the slope are necessary to better understand why one or another skier's action may help to intiate a turn, or shorten its radius, or, in contrast, will lead to a skidded turn. "The physics of skiing" is the only book I could find which addresses the mechanics and physics of skiing. It starts with the physical properties of snow and its formation in the atmosphere, then discusses the properties of snow equipment (mostly downhill skis, briefly snowboards and cross-country skis), and then goes into dynamics of gliding, wedging, and carving. The book is written as a college textbook with numerous (although fairly simple) equations and diagrams of forces. It requires a sufficiently strong background in physics. Although it contains a large amount of interesting data, I was not quite satisfied with it for two reasons. First, it lacks a concept. It is more a review of different literature sources on skiing-related topics than an analysis combining understanding of physics of skiing with a discussion of how this knowledge is applicable to modern skiing techniques. It provides the readers with the background theory, but does not lead to any suggestions how to benefit from this understanding and improve their skiing technique. Too bad that the authors did not have a good ski instructor in their company to make the book more useful and down-to-earth. Secondly, since it is based on references published between 1977 and 1997, part of the discussion is more applicable to the old almost straight skis than to modern supersidecut skis.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Poorly written, August 30, 2008

By 

Konstantin Momot (Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Physics of Skiing (Hardcover)

I go skiing at least once a year; I am also a University lecturer in Physics. I bought this book several years ago with the expectation that it would be a fascinating read. Unfortunately, it has failed to "grab" me. Some of the problems are fairly minor: for instance, the illustrations leave a lot to be desired. The references are often not just outdated but also obscure. For example, the main reference to the phase thermodynamics of water is a "US Army Corps of Engineers Special Report No. 81-6" - surely, a more widely-available, mainstream reference could have been found for such a textbook topic! Other problems are more fundamental: (1) The book lacks a unifying approach and a discussion of the basic concepts (this was also pointed out by one of the other reviewers). As a result, it reads more like a collection of disjointed technical notes than a book. (2) It fails to provide any insights into the practise of skiing beyond what one would pick up from a private lesson with an instructor. I am really not sure, what kind of target audience the authors had in mind when writing this book. But I do know that it has not been useful to me either as a skier or as a Physics lecturer.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Want to Know about Skiis and Snow? This book will tell you, September 29, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: The Physics of Skiing: Skiing at the Triple Point (Paperback)

As a ski instructor the subject of how and why these damn things work as well as how to set up your skiis has always been of interest. This book will give you 95% of the answers to those questions. The book covers down hill, cross country as well as a catagory called adventure skiing. I will be ordering extra copies to give to my skiing friends
W. E. M.