Monday, October 1, 2012

Outline: The Laws of Physics in an Animation Universe


I.                    Introduction
A.      Introduction to Ghost Rider (2007)
1.       Brief plot summary
2.       Live-action / CG
B.      Thesis: Although Ghost Rider takes place on Earth, the laws of physics in the movie are often inconsistent with the physics of the real world.
II.                  Hypothesis 1: The speed of an object has no bearing on whether that object can cause shock waves or can produce enough heat to set other objects on fire.
1.       When he first becomes Ghost Rider, Johnny Blaze’s motorcycle causes windows to shatter, presumably from a shock wave.
                                                               i.      Would take incredibly large force in our world to cause a shockwave according to our physics.
                                                             ii.      Highly unlikely that a motorcycle would be able to create enough of a force to cause a shock wave.
2.       Every time that Johnny Blaze becomes Ghost Rider, his motorcycle leaves a trail of fire on the ground.
                                                               i.      The heat needed to melt concrete is far beyond the capabilities of a motorcycle according to our physics.
                                                             ii.      The heat would have to be created by either friction or an incredibly hot tire, which would cause the tire to melt.
1.       The tires of Ghost Rider’s motorcycle do not melt while the asphalt beneath the tires does.
III.                Hypothesis 2: Gravity does not affect objects as strongly when the devil owns the object’s soul.
1.       Johnny Blaze jumps over several buses during a stunt jump.
                                                               i.      While this in theory would be possible according to our physics, the arc in which Blaze travels is not parabolic.
                                                             ii.      Time in the air is unrealistic according to our physics.
2.       Johnny Blaze jumps over several helicopters during a stunt jump.
                                                               i.      The limited time necessary for the jump is far shorter than the amount of time given to the jump in the movie, according to our physics.
IV.                Hypothesis 3: Objects can instantaneously catch fire or melt at the touch of a ghost rider regardless of the object’s temperature.
1.       Ghost Rider melts the bars of the prison with his bare hands.
                                                               i.      Assuming that GR could be hot enough to melt metal with his hands without being injured, it would take an incredibly hot surface to melt metal instantly.
2.       Ghost Rider touches his whip, catching the entire whip on fire instantly.
                                                               i.      The metal would not all catch fire instantly, but would catch fire link by link.
3.       The motorcycle instantly catches fire whenever Johnny Blaze becomes Ghost Rider.
                                                               i.      A motorcycle in our world would have catastrophic damage if it were set on fire, likely exploding due to the gasoline or oils in the motorcycle.
                                                             ii.      A motorcycle would not instantly catch fire whenever someone touched it
4.       Carter Slade and Johnny Blaze instantly catch on fire, as does Slade’s horse.
                                                               i.      Based on our physics, it is highly unlikely to instantly combust, and even more unlikely to instantly combust multiple times.
V.                  Conclusion
1. The movie Ghost Rider, despite taking place on Earth, does not follow several rules of physics from our world.
2. The physics rules that were broken involve gravity, heat, and velocity.

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