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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
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