Question

11. Why must a water skier move with constant velocity lean backward? What determines how far back she must lean? Draw a free-body diagram for the water skier to justify your answers.

Short answer

Due to the friction, the skier moves with constant velocity and she leans back due to the exerted torque by the tension.

Step-by-step solution

Center of gravity

The center of gravity is the point on a body where the total weight of the body is concentrated.

Skier moving with constant velocity

Since there is a tension force pulling the skier which balances the component of the reaction of the water.

There is also a torque created by a skier so, by leaning backward the reaction produces the torque of the opposite direction and the skier is in dynamic equilibrium.

Therefore, due to the friction, the skier moves with constant velocity and she lean back due to the exerted torque by the tension.