Why is there less friction when sliding on ice in skates compared to when wearing shoes.?

Answer 1

If the ice isn't too cold, the intense pressure that the sharp skates put on the ice melts it. The friction of steel on the wet ice is much lower than your rubber shoes on dryer ice.

Answer 2

At the point of contact of the skate, mostly because the pressure is high due to the small area of contact, the ice actually become liquid (melts). The fluid acts as a lubricant, the water is not held in a lattice (ice) and can slide over itsself. When you have your shoes on, the area of contact is greater. Try wetting the ice first when you are wearing your shoes and see how slippery it is.

Answer 3

The blades cause less contact than with your shoes (less area). The Normal Force remains the same, but the coefficient of friction changes because metal + ice causes less frictions than rubber + ice.

Answer 4

Metal creates less friction than the rubber on shoes and the blade has a smaller surface area than a shoe.

Answer 5

The pressure of all that weight on such a small surface area melts the ice which reduces the friction.

Answer 6

In shoes the area taking your weight is far greater than that of the area presented by the narrow skate blades ..therefore the friction is far less..

Answer 7

because the only contact is the thin line of metal... that thin line compounded by your weight actually makes the ice melt, and you're really sliding on a very small bit of water on the ice... thus less friction

all about surface area

Answer 8

Shoes have more surface area in contact with the ice, therefore they create more friction.