To determine the normal force of the ground on the skier, we need to understand what the normal force is. The normal force is the force exerted by a surface to support the weight of an object resting on it and acts perpendicular to the surface.
In physics, the normal force is typically related to the weight of the object when the object is on a flat horizontal surface. The weight of the object is given by the gravitational force acting on it, which depends on the mass of the object and the gravitational field strength (approximately [tex]\(9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2\)[/tex] on Earth).
Given that the normal force is the reaction force to the weight of the object when on a flat surface, the value in the table which directly influences the normal force is the skier’s weight.
From the options given:
A. The skier's velocity
- Velocity is a measure of the speed and direction of the skier's motion but does not directly influence the normal force exerted by the ground.
B. The force of friction
- The force of friction acts parallel to the surface and opposes the motion, not perpendicular. It does not impact the normal force directly.
C. The force of the skier pushing forward
- This forward push impacts motion in the direction parallel to the slope and does not affect the perpendicular force interaction.
D. The skier's weight
- The weight is the force due to gravity acting downward and is balanced by the normal force when on a horizontal surface.
Thus, the normal force of the ground on the skier depends on:
D. The skier's weight
