Disney's movie Ice Princess mistake?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers around a physics mistake in Disney's movie "Ice Princess," specifically regarding the script's explanation of centripetal force and moment of inertia. The script incorrectly states that tucking in arms increases moment of inertia, which contradicts the principle of angular momentum conservation. Participants agree that this error could mislead viewers, particularly children, about basic physics concepts. The consensus suggests that the choice of wording was likely an aesthetic decision rather than a simple mistake.

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  • Understanding of basic physics concepts, particularly angular momentum
  • Familiarity with moment of inertia and its implications in rotational motion
  • Knowledge of centripetal force and its role in circular motion
  • Awareness of how media can influence educational perceptions
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of angular momentum conservation in rotational dynamics
  • Explore the concept of moment of inertia and its calculations in physics
  • Investigate the role of centripetal force in various physical scenarios
  • Examine how film and media can impact public understanding of scientific concepts
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Students of physics, educators, filmmakers, and anyone interested in the intersection of science and media representation.

tonks
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Disney's movie "Ice Princess" mistake?

so I watched the movie over the summer...
here's word for word out of the script

"Now, l'm going to increase
the centripetal force
by tucking in my arms.
This will increase
my moment of inertia,
so l will spin...faster."

so it's been bugging the hell out of me...if she pulled her arms in, wouldn't that decrease her moment of inertia to make her spin faster...to conserve angular momentum?

thanks.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Yep, the script is wrong.
 
that's depressing then...Disney is going to mess up all those poor kids who actually listened to the physics in the movie
 
I think it was an aesthetic choice, not a mistake, because "increase" sounds more positive and because I could not imagine someone who had heard of moment of inertia getting the concept so exactly wrong.
 
haha that is funny
 

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