Ashley Wagner's skating skills earned her an Olympic medal
Emma loved figure skating After taking lessons she could glide and stop on the ice Her next goals were to spin and jump Now Emma watched as 22 year old American skater Ashley Wagner entered the rink The crowd in the stadium cheered and clapped as Wagner glided across the ice She moved gracefully This was possible because of low friction between the frozen water and the grooved blades of her skates Wagner used her leg muscles to push her skates against the ice She propelled herself into a triple flip triple toe loop combination Wagner followed this with a flying sit spin She pulled her arms in close to increase her spin speed Along with her US teammates Wagner won a bronze medal at the Sochi Winter Olympics STEM IN ACTION Olympic figure skaters are strong graceful and talented They provide entertainment to fans around the world
The sport also provides many examples of science technology engineering and math STEM in action How is science important to figure skating Every move a skater makes is subject to the laws of physics Understanding physics concepts such as friction
STEM concepts are at play in the graceful movements of pairs skaters motion and momentum can help skaters perform their best Science helps in other ways too New training techniques and good nutrition help athletes stay in top form
