Dismiss Notice
Join Physics Forums Today!
The friendliest, high quality science and math community on the planet! Everyone who loves science is here!

I Captain America Scene Question

  1. May 11, 2016 #1

    Sang Ho Lee

    User Avatar

    I was watching Captain America: Winter Solider and was a bit confused with the scene.
    I am a high school student who just learned mechanics, and I hope you guys will be able to give me an answer.

    Untitled-1.jpg

    Looking at the photo, Bucky shoots a granade catrage, not moving a little bit, while Captain protects himself from the blast and flies off by like 20m until he crashes into a bus.

    Wouldn't the conservation of momentum (m1v1 = m2v2) cause Captain to move as much as Bucky did (guessing less because probably m(captain)>m(Bucky))

    If not, how does the explosion cause him to fly off?

    Thank you,
     

    Attached Files:

    Sang Ho Lee, May 11, 2016
  2. jcsd
    Phys.org - latest science and technology news stories on Phys.org
  3. May 11, 2016 #2

    jbriggs444

    User Avatar
    Science Advisor

    If the grenade were a simple projectile that was stopped dead by Captain America's shield then the simple ##m_1v_1 = m_2v_2## would apply. The recoil from the weapon would be equal to the momentum imparted to the target. However, the grenade does not stop dead. It explodes. Half of the blast goes back in the general direction of the firing position. Half impacts the shield and is stopped. It is the recoil from the high speed gasses expanding back toward the target that drives Captain America away.
     
    jbriggs444, May 11, 2016
Know someone interested in this topic? Share this thread via Reddit, Google+, Twitter, or Facebook

Have something to add?
Draft saved Draft deleted



Similar Discussions: Captain America Scene Question

  1. Crime Scene Problem (Replies: 3)

  2. Physics question regarding a movie scene (Replies: 20)

  3. Captain America's shield properties (Replies: 8)

  4. Captain America's shield bouncing (Replies: 5)

  5. How does the train scene in The Wolverine break physics? (Replies: 4)

Loading...