Page 22 - Science Focus (issue 15)

Extraordinary

Science:

T he Mechanism of Ice-Skating

科學不一樣：探討溜冰的奧秘

I t m a y c o m e a s a s u r p r i s e t h a t s u ch 面熔化（premelting）現象會在攝氏零下 35 度時開始，
sophisticated physical mechanisms underlie a 這也更加證實了冰表面有一層類液相膜的真實性；隨著
simple leisure activity. Next time, when you are 科 技的進 步，核 磁 共 振（nuclear magnetic resonance,
enjoying some other leisure activities, don’t forget NMR）、質子反向散射（proton backscattering）及 X 光
to think of their “hidden” mechanisms! Perhaps, the
mechanism can be complicated, but intriguing. 繞射（X-ray diffraction）等方法更加地證實了冰表面有一
Perhaps…you may spot some interesting physics in 層類液相膜的存在。但對於解釋溜冰的機制，類液相膜扮
a simple life! 演的角色卻有待進一步的研究確認。

1 Remark: The writer is a Taiwanese, and the topic of “phase 由此可見，即便是生活中看似簡單的休閒娛樂，其背後
equilibrium” is not included in the current senior secondary 的物理原理都是如此的奧妙且複雜的。雖然至今溜冰尚未
curriculum in Hong Kong.
2 Pressure formula: (where P is pressure, F is exerted force and 有被科學家公認的理論，但也就是這樣的過程，科學才如
A is contact area) 此地吸引著我們吧？下次從事其他休閒活動時，不妨也想想
3 Coefficient of friction: The rougher the surface, the greater the 其背後的原理呢，說不定其背後的原理也是十分複雜但有
coefficient of friction. 趣的。 說不定，你也可能對簡單的生活提出有趣的物理喔！
4 Liquid-like film: The actual mechanism is still a hot topic for many
scientists to investigate. If you are interested in this topic, you may 1
refer to “Rosenberg, R. (2005). Why is ice slippery? Physics Today, 編按：作者為台灣人，「相平衡」並不在香港現時的高中課程內。
58(12), 50-54” in the reference list. 2 壓力公式： （P 為壓力、F 為施力、A 為接觸面積）。

3 摩擦係數：表面越粗糙，摩擦係數越大。
4 類液相膜（liquid-like film）產生的實際機制仍是一個科學家爭相探討的
議題；如對於相關機制有興趣，可以參閱「參考資料」中的 Rosenberg, R.
(2005). Why is ice slippery? Physics Today, 58(12), 50-54。

References 參考資料：
[1] Colbeck, S. C. (1995). Pressure melting and ice skating. American Journal of Physics, 63(10), 888-890.
[2] Bowden, F. P., & Hughes, T. P. (1939). The mechanism of sliding on ice and snow. Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A, 172(949), 280-298.
[3] Gurney, C. (1949). Surface forces in liquids and solids. Proceedings of the Physical Society. Section A, 62(10), 639.
[4] Weyl, W. A. (1951). Surface structure of water and some of its physical and chemical manifestations. Journal of Colloid Science, 6(5), 389-
405.
[5] Orem, M. W., & Adamson, A. W. (1969). Physical adsorption of vapor on ice: II. n-alkanes. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 31(2),
278-286.
[6] Rosenberg, R. (2005). Why is ice slippery? Physics Today, 58(12), 50-54.
[7] Thomson, J. (1860). Note on Professor Faraday's Recent Experiments on Regelation. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, 11, 198-
204.