Bad Physics in Movies !!

 Find a short clip from a movie that shows activities that are not possible from a Physics stand-point.  Clips must be appropriate for school !!  Students will create and present a multi- media presentation for the class.

 A clip from the movie  A description of the “bad physics” in the clip.  CALCULATIONS showing why it is bad physics.  A comparison to real-life of how the calculations prove it is not good physics.

 Movie “Troy” ◦  Blues Brothers – speed of car chase ◦ s.shtml s.shtml

 Movie “Mario Brothers” Video Game – gravity html  Sin City – Strength of bone

 You may need to ESTIMATE for some of the data for your calculations  If so, submit in your written calculations what has been estimated and what has been measured, or timed.  The subject must be calculable – not just look like it is impossible.

 Things that move too fast  Untrue trajectories  Things that break Newton’s 3 rules: ◦ Acceleration is proportional to force and indirectly proportional to mass. ◦ Law of Inertia ◦ Every action has an EQUAL and opposite reaction.

 Lack of friction, or too much friction  Objects that fall at the wrong rate/incorrect gravity values.  Collisions that do not hold to the Law of Conservation of Momentum

 A CD of your presentation.  A typewritten, brief summary of why the movie clip fails the test of Physics  Neatly written calculations

 By Friday, January 11 ◦ submit a written description of the chosen movie clip. ◦ Meet with me to discuss how you will work to PROVE the physics behind the scene.