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Posted by Paul A. Heckert Jul 6, 2008 |
My last blog was about the good physics in Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Now here is some of the bad physics.
Near the beginning they were looking for a crate in a huge secret warehouse. Indiana Jones said it was magnetic and used gunpowder and lead shot pellets from shotgun shells to allow them to be attracted to the magnetic crate. Gunpowder is a mixture of sulfur, charcoal, and potassium nitrate. Shotgun pellets are usually made of lead. None of these materials are magnetic. They would not be attracted to the supposedly magnetic crate. However steel rifles, belt buckles, and other common steel items would be.
During the extended chase scene, there are two vehicles driving side by side and our heroes are fighting and standing with one foot on each vehicle. Later they go over several water falls and survive. If the two vehicles are traveling at the same velocity, an extremely coordinated person could stand with one foot on each, but as soon as one of the vehicles changes its velocity our heroes go tumbling. The opposing driver just needs to change velocities a little. A few people have survived trips over Niagara Falls, but most are killed. So, these events are of course highly improbable but do not actually violate the laws of physics. If everything happens perfectly right these events could happen.
Next the really ugly physics.