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Here’s a novel use of Logger Pro‘s video analysis and vector analysis tools. The Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy uses Vernier tools to help their student athletes analyze their motion on the race course and in the terrain park. Miles McGeehan, physics instructor, has developed a course titled Ski Physics.

Each week, students address a different concept in Newtonian physics. For example, they captured a video of a student performing a straight air on a jump to study projectile motion. Video analysis produced beautiful graphs showing constant horizontal velocity, and constantly changing vertical velocity. Miles then had his students use the little-known animated display feature of Logger Pro to superimpose velocity vectors on the skier in the video, further reinforcing the independent behavior of the horizontal and vertical motions.

Other activities include the use of the Wireless Dynamics Sensor System to measure accelerations during moguls skiing, slalom courses, or halfpipe rides. Since each high-school student has his or her own ski or snowboard emphasis, this course includes independent student projects. In addition to learning physics, the students may use the data to improve their skiing and riding.

Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy is a public school and is part of Eagle County Schools in Vail, Colorado.

Download the Straight Air Jump Logger Pro file »