Science > Physics > Professor to describe 'uncanny physics of comic book superheroes'
| Topic: |
Science > Physics |
| User: |
"Dr. Jai Maharaj" |
| Date: |
26 Jul 2004 12:00:27 AM |
| Object: |
Professor to describe 'uncanny physics of comic book superheroes' |
Professor to describe 'uncanny physics of comic book superheroes'
Contact - Deane Morrison
morri029@umn.edu
612-624-2346
University of Minnesota
Public release date: 15-Feb-2004
Minneapolis / St. Paul - Can you teach a physics class
with only comic books to illustrate the principles?
University of Minnesota physics professor James Kakalios
has been doing it since 1995, when he explained the
principle of conservation of momentum by calculating the
force of Spider-Man's web when it snagged the superhero's
girlfriend as she plummeted from a great height.
Kakalios will describe a freshman seminar class he
teaches, "Physics of Comic Books," at 11 a.m. Sunday,
Feb. 15, during the American Association for the
Advancement of Science meeting in Seattle. His talk is
part of the symposium "Pop Physics: The Interface Between
Hard Science and Popular Culture," one of two symposia in
the Science, Entertainment and the Media category.
"Comic books get their science right more often than one
would expect," said the gregarious Kakalios. "I was able
to find examples in superhero comic books of the correct
descriptions of basic physical principles for a wide
range of topics, including classical mechanics,
electricity and magnetism, and even quantum physics."
Take, for example, the strength of Superman. To leap a
30-story building in a single bound, Superman's leg
muscles must produce nearly 6,000 pounds of force while
jumping, Kakalios calculates. The Man of Steel was that
strong because he was designed to resist Krypton's
powerful gravity. But for a planet with an Earth-like
surface to have so much stronger gravity, it would need
neutron star material in its core--a highly unstable
situation. No wonder the planet exploded. Other topics
considered in Kakalios' class include:
Is it possible to read minds as Prof. X of the X-Men
does?
If Spider-Man's webbing is as strong as real spider silk,
could it support his weight as he swings between
buildings?
Can the mutant master of magnetism Magneto levitate
people using the iron in their blood?
If you could run as fast as the Flash, could you run up
the side of a building or across the ocean, and how often
would you need to eat? "Once the physical concepts such
as forces and motion, conservation of energy, electricity
and magnetisms, and elementary quantum mechanics are
introduced to answer these and other questions, their
real-world applications to automobile airbags, cell
phones, nanotechnology and black hole formation are
explained," said Kakalios. "The students in this class
ranged from engineering to history majors, and while not
all were comic book fans, they all found it an engaging
and entertaining way to learn critical thinking and basic
physics concepts."
###
James Kakalios received a doctorate in physics from the
University of Chicago in 1985 and has been teaching
physics at Minnesota since 1988. His research field is
experimental condensed matter physics. His recent
research includes the study of amorphous/nanocrystalline
silicon thin films for solar cell applications, studies
of fluctuation phenomena in the brain (in collaboration
with a neuroscience professor) and pattern formation in
complex systems. Research by his laboratory on the
dynamics of granular media can be viewed at the Sandland
Web site: www.physics.umn.edu/groups/sand. Kakalios is
also a member of Physics Force-The Next Generation, a
group of physics professors and high school physics
teachers who perform free science demonstrations to K-12
children. These shows present the fun side of physics
through such demonstrations as the "tablecloth pull,"
"fire extinguisher rocket races," "crushing a 55-gallon
steel barrel using air pressure," and "crushing a
professor using air pressure." Information about the
Physics Force is at www.physics.umn.edu/pforce.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-02/uom-ptd021004.php
- - - - - - -
If this was known by my Granny then she would have saved
my Marvel comics.
Posted by AdmSmith
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
End of forwarded messages
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
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Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
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The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:
I came not so send peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his
father, and the daughter against her mother, and the
daughter in law against her mother in law.
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own
household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the
educational purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of
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the opinion of the poster. The contents are protected by copyright law
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are not necessarily those of the poster.
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| User: "Uncle Al" |
|
| Title: Re: Professor to describe 'uncanny physics of comic book superheroes' |
26 Jul 2004 08:33:25 AM |
|
|
"Dr. Jai Maharaj" wrote:
Professor to describe 'uncanny physics of comic book superheroes'
[snip unlicensed use]
http://www.geocities.com/drjosemariachi/jay_faq.html
Troll FAQ for Jai Maharaj (Hindi for "cracked athletic cup")
His real name is "Jay Stevens" and he runs a front called
"Mantra Corporation."
--
Uncle Al
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/
(Toxic URL! Unsafe for children and most mammals)
http://www.mazepath.com/uncleal/qz.pdf
.
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| User: "Dr. Jai Maharaj" |
|
| Title: Re: Professor to describe 'uncanny physics of comic book superheroes' |
26 Jul 2004 02:35:06 PM |
|
|
Professor to describe 'uncanny physics of comic book superheroes'
Contact - Deane Morrison
morri029@umn.edu
612-624-2346
University of Minnesota
Public release date: 15-Feb-2004
Minneapolis / St. Paul - Can you teach a physics class
with only comic books to illustrate the principles?
University of Minnesota physics professor James Kakalios
has been doing it since 1995, when he explained the
principle of conservation of momentum by calculating the
force of Spider-Man's web when it snagged the superhero's
girlfriend as she plummeted from a great height.
Kakalios will describe a freshman seminar class he
teaches, "Physics of Comic Books," at 11 a.m. Sunday,
Feb. 15, during the American Association for the
Advancement of Science meeting in Seattle. His talk is
part of the symposium "Pop Physics: The Interface Between
Hard Science and Popular Culture," one of two symposia in
the Science, Entertainment and the Media category.
"Comic books get their science right more often than one
would expect," said the gregarious Kakalios. "I was able
to find examples in superhero comic books of the correct
descriptions of basic physical principles for a wide
range of topics, including classical mechanics,
electricity and magnetism, and even quantum physics."
Take, for example, the strength of Superman. To leap a
30-story building in a single bound, Superman's leg
muscles must produce nearly 6,000 pounds of force while
jumping, Kakalios calculates. The Man of Steel was that
strong because he was designed to resist Krypton's
powerful gravity. But for a planet with an Earth-like
surface to have so much stronger gravity, it would need
neutron star material in its core--a highly unstable
situation. No wonder the planet exploded. Other topics
considered in Kakalios' class include:
Is it possible to read minds as Prof. X of the X-Men
does?
If Spider-Man's webbing is as strong as real spider silk,
could it support his weight as he swings between
buildings?
Can the mutant master of magnetism Magneto levitate
people using the iron in their blood?
If you could run as fast as the Flash, could you run up
the side of a building or across the ocean, and how often
would you need to eat? "Once the physical concepts such
as forces and motion, conservation of energy, electricity
and magnetisms, and elementary quantum mechanics are
introduced to answer these and other questions, their
real-world applications to automobile airbags, cell
phones, nanotechnology and black hole formation are
explained," said Kakalios. "The students in this class
ranged from engineering to history majors, and while not
all were comic book fans, they all found it an engaging
and entertaining way to learn critical thinking and basic
physics concepts."
###
James Kakalios received a doctorate in physics from the
University of Chicago in 1985 and has been teaching
physics at Minnesota since 1988. His research field is
experimental condensed matter physics. His recent
research includes the study of amorphous/nanocrystalline
silicon thin films for solar cell applications, studies
of fluctuation phenomena in the brain (in collaboration
with a neuroscience professor) and pattern formation in
complex systems. Research by his laboratory on the
dynamics of granular media can be viewed at the Sandland
Web site: www.physics.umn.edu/groups/sand. Kakalios is
also a member of Physics Force-The Next Generation, a
group of physics professors and high school physics
teachers who perform free science demonstrations to K-12
children. These shows present the fun side of physics
through such demonstrations as the "tablecloth pull,"
"fire extinguisher rocket races," "crushing a 55-gallon
steel barrel using air pressure," and "crushing a
professor using air pressure." Information about the
Physics Force is at www.physics.umn.edu/pforce.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-02/uom-ptd021004.php
- - - - - - -
If this was known by my Granny then she would have saved
my Marvel comics.
Posted by AdmSmith
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
End of forwarded messages
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti
Hindu Holocaust Museum
http://www.mantra.com/holocaust
Hindu life, principles, spirituality and philosophy
http://www.hindu.org
http://www.hindunet.org
The truth about Islam and Muslims
http://www.flex.com/~jai/satyamevajayate
The terrorist mission of Jesus stated in the Christian bible:
"Think not that I am come to send peace on earth:
I came not so send peace, but a sword.
"For I am come to set a man at variance against his
father, and the daughter against her mother, and the
daughter in law against her mother in law.
"And a man's foes shall be they of his own
household.
- Matthew 10:34-36.
o Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the
educational purposes of research and open discussion. The contents of
this post may not have been authored by, and do not necessarily represent
the opinion of the poster. The contents are protected by copyright law
and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
o If you send private e-mail to me, it will likely not be read,
considered or answered if it does not contain your full legal name,
current e-mail and postal addresses, and live-voice telephone number.
o Posted for information and discussion. Views expressed by others
are not necessarily those of the poster.
.
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