Grades K–2 · Everyday Life
Why can snowshoes help someone sink less into snow?
A boot can make a deep hole in soft snow. A snowshoe is much wider than the boot strapped to it. Its frame and webbing or deck spread the person’s push over more snow.
The person still has the same weight. But more snow shares the job of holding that weight up. A small patch no longer has to carry as much of the push.
Compare the narrow boot print with the wide snowshoe print; the person’s weight is unchanged.
Snowshoes do not always stay on top. Very soft snow can still give way, and different snow needs different designs. A snowshoe helps reduce sinking; it does not turn snow into a hard floor.
For many generations, Indigenous peoples have shaped snowshoes for local snow and travel. A bigger footprint is a clever way to change how a surface supports you without changing how heavy you are.
About this explanation
Sinking also depends on snow strength, depth and motion; the drawings compare support area only.
Starting knowledge: Recognize that snow can squash under a foot and that objects can have different widths.
Sources
- Smithsonian Institution — Snowshoes, 2 Pairs
- National Park Service — Beginner’s Guide to Snowshoeing