The tip protector of the ski is there to simply protect the front of the ski from getting damaged.
The shovel's purpose is to initiate your turns and keep you above the powder.The wider the shovel is, the more float you will have in powder, and it will respond quicker to the skiiers movements.
The piston is a device thatkeeps your skiis slightly flexed when coming out of a turn, giving you more control over your skiis.
The heel binding is the back part of your binding where the heel of your boot goes in.
The motion system is located between the toe and heel bindings and allows the ski to flex underneath the binding.
The brake is a piece of the binding which digs into the snow when your boot is out of the binding.It is designed to stop the ski from sliding if it accidentally pops off.
The edges of the ski is a metal insert that cuts into the snow and allows the ski to turn.
The tail is the back end of the ski and helps lock you into your turn.The wider it is, the nicer your carving turns are and allows you to gain power as you go.
A swallow tail is another type of tail but it allows snow to flow through it. Great for powder skiing.