Diving Board

This simulation treats the diving board as a cantilever spring. The farther the diver stands beyond the fulcrum, the softer the board, because stiffness is 3 E I over the cube of that distance. Pushing in time with the bounce pumps up the motion like a swing. Students move the fulcrum or diver, jump, and watch the dive arc into the water. Readouts show board deflection, stiffness, bounce frequency, jump height and diver state. Sliders adjust board stiffness, diver mass, jump force, forward lean and somersault. Teachers can use it for springs and resonance.

• Drag the diver toward the tip and watch Board stiffness k fall in the readouts.
• Click the diver or press Enter to jump, timing it with the bounce to raise Jump height.
• Move the fulcrum roller to make the board shorter and stiffer, then jump again.
• Increase Diver mass and check how the Bounce frequency changes.
• Change Forward lean and toggle Somersault to see how the dive path changes.

1. 1Explain why a longer overhang makes the board softer.
2. 2Relate bounce frequency to stiffness and diver mass.
3. 3Describe how well-timed pushes add energy, as with a swing.
4. 4Predict how moving the fulcrum changes the bounce.

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