Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site heurikon.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxl!houxm!houxz!vax135!cornell!uw-beaver!tektronix!hplabs!hao!seismo!uwvax!heurikon!jeff From: jeff@heurikon.UUCP Newsgroups: net.physics Subject: Conservation of momentum Message-ID: <268@heurikon.UUCP> Date: Sun, 19-Aug-84 00:29:23 EDT Article-I.D.: heurikon.268 Posted: Sun Aug 19 00:29:23 1984 Date-Received: Wed, 15-Aug-84 00:55:34 EDT Organization: Heurikon Corp., Madison WI Lines: 20 While watching the Olympic diving competition, I was impressed with the divers' ability to spin while doing somersaults. I always thought they had to impart their spin energy by pushing off just right and then use their limbs to control the spin rate, like an ice skater. However, I viewed a lot of slow motion of the dives and noticed that the divers started their spins while airborne and then were able to stop their spinning motion completely prior to hitting the water. How could they do this? They don't have wings. Where does the angular momentum come from that started the spins, and where does it go to stop? Can they convert their initial tumbling motion back and forth to spinning motion? Please post responses. Thanks. -- /"""\ Jeffrey Mattox, Heurikon Corp, Madison, WI |O.O| {harpo, hao, philabs}!seismo!uwvax!heurikon!jeff (news & mail) \_=_/ ihnp4!heurikon!jeff (mail - fast)