Skateboarding Science

Welcome to the Limelight Education Blog. We are writing from sunny San Diego on the 5th of July, 2009. Here is a website review that is most useful for skaters looking for school project ideas or educators seeking some inspiration for new curriculum.

The Exploratorium, a science center in San Francisco, paired with Thrasher magazine and put together a website called Skateboard Science.



This photo is used from: http://www.exploratorium.edu/skateboarding/trick02.html for educational purposes.

The Exploratorium, a fun science center in San Francisco, paired with Thrasher magazine and put together a website called Skateboard Science.


I read through the science behind the ollie and mid-air maneuvers. The Exploratorium offers great insights into the forces that are acting on the board, which make the skateboard appear to stick to the rider's feet. Here is an excerpt that begins to explain the science behind midair manuvers, like 180s and kick-flips: You see, one of the fundamentals of physics is a little something called the law of conservation of angular momentum. This is what it says: If you’re rotating, you’ll keep rotating unless a twisting force, or torque, acts to stop you. Click here to read the article.


Did you know that parts of "The Search for Animal Chin" were filmed at the Palace of Fine Arts, where the Exploratorium is located?

That's all for today. Get outside and practice your skateboard science!

This blog is posted by Limelight Education LLC. We offer tutoring, homeschool assistance and curriculum design. Our mission is to empower youth by pairing action sports and education.