Imagine standing by a lake. You toss a rock into the water. It skips off the surface! Once, twice, three times, four…
This is called stone skipping. People often sling small, flat rocks. But one expert said heavier stones skip higher. Ryan Palmer studied how rocks with the water. He published a report about this on January 4 from Bristol, England. The study showed a surprise.
“Heavier rocks can skip out of the water with a greater height than expected,” said Palmer. The curve of the rocks helps heavier stones hop. “They would sink without a trace if they were flatter,” he added. Heavier stones won’t go as far as lighter ones. But they could jump higher. Palmer called it “an almighty leap!”
People have been skipping stones for years. They use different names around the world. People in England call the game “Ducks and Drakes.” In France, it’s called “ .” There’s even a world championship in Scotland.
Of course, a stone won’t float. The force of gravity pulls it down. But when you throw a stone, it’s quickly moving in one direction. Once the spinning stone hits the water, it creates a force. That force pushes the stone up into the air. That hop can happen many times before a stone sinks. Kurt Steiner has the record. In 2013, he skipped a stone 88 times!
Bigger rocks won’t break that record. “For lots of skip, go for the usual,” said Steiner. Yet he said people should skip stones of all sizes. “For surprising leaps,” he explained, “go for heavier and even curvier rocks.”
“Try different rocks,” said Palmer. “ the size and shape. See what happens.” The expert had one final tip for kids:
“Stay curious!”
Updated January 9, 2023, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Tyler Burdick
