A skateboarder with his board can be modeled as a particle

Chapter 8, Problem 49

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A skateboarder with his board can be modeled as a particle of mass 76.0 kg, located at his center of mass (which we will study in Chapter 9). As shown in Figure P8.49, the skateboarder starts from rest in a crouching position at one lip of a half-pipe (point A). The half-pipe is one half of a cylinder of radius 6.80 m with its axis horizontal. On his descent, the skateboarder moves without friction so that his center of mass moves through one quarter of a circle of radius 6.30 m. (a) Find his speed at the bottom of the half-pipe (point B). (b) Immediately after passing point B, he stands up and raises his arms, lifting his center of mass from 0.500 m to 0.950 m above the concrete (point C). Next, the skateboarder glides upward with his center of mass moving in a quarter circle of radius 5.85 m. His body is horizontal when he passes point D, the far lip of the half-pipe. As he passes through point D, the speed of the skateboarder is 5.14 m/s. How much chemical potential energy in the body of the skateboarder was converted to mechanical energy in the skateboarderEarth system when he stood up at point B? (c) How high above point D does he rise? Caution: Do not try this stunt yourself without the required skill and protective equipment.