Many principles of physics are involved in the luge, a dangerous high-speed sporting event introduced into the Olympics at Innsbruck, Austria, in 1964. Lugers travel down the track feet-first at speeds up to 120 km/h while lying on their backs, steering the luge with their feet and shoulders. The gravitational force accelerates the luge on the downhill track.
Opposing this force are the force of friction between the runners of the luge and the ice and force of air resistance as the luger moves through the air.Luge designers use special materials on the runners and specially designed helmets and suits to reduce the effects of both these forces. Because of the high speed, curves on luge tracks must be deeply banked, as demonstrated in the photograph, to keep the luger from sliding off the side of the track.
Volume 1.
1. Introduction and Physics
2. Motion in One Dimension
3. Motion in Two Dimensions
etc.
Volume 2.
16. Temperature and the Kinetic Theory of Gases
17. Energy in Thermal Processes : The First Law of
Thermodynamics
18. Heat Engines, Entropy, and the Second Law of
Thermodynamics
etc.