Surfing is about more than being tan and using totally tubular slang words. There's actual science involved! What effect does having a curve at the end of a surfboard create?

Everything from the biggest ocean liner to the smallest surfboard has a curved front edge, because if you push a curved edge over water, the curve makes water travel more quickly underneath than on top. This generates an upward force called lift that moves you up out of the water a little bit. This effect is called planing.

Asked by Tom Cohen · Last updated 5 years ago · 1K views