Riding the half-pipe is all about physics - more specifically about the conservation of energy. This rule states that energy cannot be subtracted or added from the original energy of a system. Energy however, can be transformed within the system.

What does this mean for riding the half-pipe? In a half-pipe energy is constantly being transformed between potential (stored energy related to height) and kinetic energy (energy of motion) as the skater goes back and forth. This is all dandy and the skater should be able to continue skating forever if it wasn’t for the wildcard in the equation: the heat energy generated by kinetic energy. Eventually so much kinetic energy is transformed into heat that this causes the skater to come to a stop. Not cool.

Enter ‘pumping’ - an action the skater performs to add the energy of his own body to the equation. On the half-pipe, skaters will crouch slightly to lower their centre of mass. They will then stand up when approaching the ramp.

The energy of the skater’s body needed to push up against the skateboard causes the speed to increase. Problem solved!

• A more in-depth look...
• The biggest natural half-pipe in the world!
• A short history of skateboarding