Olympic Snowboarding Data Set 1
Data Sets:
Table 1. Athlete Characteristics
Athlete
Gender
Male
Female
Height
(inches)
68
62
Weight
(lbs.)
150
115
S. White
C. Bidez
Event
Preference(s)
Half-pipe*
Half-pipe
Graphics
Longer Board,
Minimal
Friction
Softer Flex,
Graphics,
Minimal
Friction
Eco-Friendly**
Light Board;
Longer Board
M. Dierdorff
Male
68
200
Snowboard
Cross*
K. Clark
L. Jacobellis
Female
Female
64
65
130
120
Half-pipe
Snowboard
Cross
*Please see ‘Events’ for descriptions. **Biodegradable board
Table 2. Board Characteristics
Board Type
Length (cm)
Specialization
Composition**
Alpine
175 and
above
150 to 170
Speed/Racing
FG, LW, Poly
General
FG, LW, Poly
150 and
below
Tricks
FG, LW, Poly
All
Mountain
Freestyle
*opt. = optional for an added cost/**FG = Fiberglass; LW = Liquid Wood; Poly = Polyethylene
Table 3. Board Composition
Composition
Coefficient of Friction
Fiberglass
Liquid Wood
Polyethylene
.02
.06
.04
*N/A = Not Available, O = Optional
Density (g/cm^3)
0.098
0.092
0.088
Base Wax Seal*
(reduce friction)
N/A
O
O
Events:
Half-pipe: A half-pipe is a U-shaped terrain feature with near-vertical walls. The snowboarder
gains speed by going down one side, then rides up the other side into the air to perform tricks.
Athletes that ride in the half-pipe are known as “free style” riders. Their boards are light and
require a large degree of maneuverability. These boards are generally ten (10) inches shorter
than the rider, but can vary.
Snowboard Cross: A competition in which riders start simultaneously atop an inclined course
and race to reach the finish line first. Snowboard cross courses are typically narrow and include
sharp turns, jumps, drops, steep and flat sections designed to challenge the rider’s ability to
stay in control at high speeds. Athletes that compete in snowboard cross are known as “alpine”
riders. Their boards are long with a stiff flex. These boards are generally three to five inches
taller than the rider, but can vary.
Description of Board Elements:
Composition: The composition of a board is the material from which the board is made. There
are three options: (1) FG = Fiber Glass, (2) LW = Liquid Wood and (3) Poly = Polyethylene. Each
material has specific properties that affect ride quality.



Fiber Glass: This is the least common material because a board made entirely of
fiberglass is very heavy, which makes it less maneuverable. The fiber glass board has the
smallest coefficient of friction between the base and the snow, which means this board
will slide with the least resistance.
Liquid Wood: Snowboard companies recently started using liquid wood as an alternative
to fiber glass or polyethylene because it is completely biodegradable, unlike the other
two options. This material is lighter than fiber glass, but has a greater coefficient of
friction, which means greater resistance. Boards made of this material cost the most.
Polyethylene: This is the material used for the majority of snowboards. It is a very light
material that can be easily manipulated into any shape, which makes it the least
expensive to produce. However, the coefficient of friction between the base of the
board and the snow is greater than that of fiber glass. Free-style boards are commonly
made of polyethylene because it is the lightest.
Wax Seal: An optional, long-lasting wax seal can be added to the base of the board in addition
to the manufacturer’s seal. This seal decreases the coefficient of friction by 0.005. The seal can
only be added to boards made of liquid wood or polyethylene, and costs $250. Reducing the
coefficient of friction allows the board to move more quickly.
Breakdown of Costs:
Boards: Each type of board has a different base cost which varies with length. Boards greater
than 170 cm or less than 150 cm will be more expensive than boards of standard length. Allmountain boards are the least expensive to manufacture, because they are not specialized.
These boards generally have less maneuverability than Free Style boards and a lower top speed
than Alpine boards.
Board Type
Alpine
All Mountain
Free Style
Cost
< 180 cm: $650
>180 cm: $675
<160 cm: $500
>160 cm: $525
<140 cm: $550
>140 cm: $575
Material: Each material also has a different cost which varies with manufacturing costs and
demand.
Material
Fiberglass
Liquid Wood
Polyethylene
Cost
$200
$300
$150
Graphics: Snowboarders are known for being expressive individuals in both what they wear and
the design of their boards. Each board is manufactured plain white, but colors and graphics can
be added.
Graphic
Solid Color (1)
Solid Colors (2)
Design
Cost
$100
$150
$200
Thickness: The greater the weight of the rider, the more force they exert on the board, and
thus the thicker the board must be. A board less than or equal to 20 mm thick costs an
additional $50, and a board greater than 20 mm thick costs an additional $100.
Table 4. Thickness Scale
Force Exerted by Rider (N)
Recommended Board Thickness (mm)
500-550
15
551-600
18
601-650
20
651-700
22
>700
25
Formulas:
𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 = 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠/𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
Estimate the volume of a snowboard to be the volume of a cube with length, width, and height.
Area of a circle (please use 3.14 for the value of pi): 𝐴 = 𝜋𝑟 2
1 cm = 0.3937 inches
1 kg = 2.2 lbs.
Weight = mg (please use 9.81 m/s2 for g)
Note: (1) The Newton (N) is a unit of force. It is equal to the amount of net force required to
accelerate a mass of one kilogram at a rate of one meter per second squared. Forces are
assumed to generate from the center of the board. (2) All snowboards are 13.5 inches wide.
Sources:
Teamusa.org: The information about each athlete was found here, as well as descriptions of
each event.
Snowboarding.com: The information about board design and specifications was found here, as
well as definitions for the parts of a board.
Physicsclassroom.com: The physics concepts, such as the formula and units for weight, were
found here.
The pictures included were created by Adam Santone.