What Are the Key Physics Concepts in Top Gun's Flight Scenes?

[DownSetDana]

Hello, I am a new user and in Dire need of some help. I am currently entering my senior year of High School. I am enrolled in an Honors Introductory Physics course, and for our summer assignment, are required to analyze a movie, determine four scenes of the movie, and explain the physics of the scene, explain the concepts of the physics, and the mathematical equations of the scene, and also determine whether these are good or bad applications of physics. I was assigned the movie Top Gun staring Tom Cruise, if someone can help me, It would be greatly appreciative.

 

[Chi Meson]

Since everything that happens IS physics, pick your four favorite action sequences. Pick one right now, for example, and maybe we can talk you through it.

 

[civil_dude]

One good one is the landings the planes make on the carrier.

 

[berkeman]

Well at least they gave you a fun movie! Fighter jets, carriers, sportbikes -- what more could you ask for!

As Chi said, pick some of your favorite scenes and start listing things that you think primarily involve physics. Like, the grey-out that TomC fights off in one of the first dogfights is more of a biological effect, even though it all comes back to physics. But the flight and wire trap landings (as civil dude says) and the cat shots off the carrier are great fodder for physics. BTW, fun quiz question -- how does the shuttle let go of the plane's front landing gear at the end of the cat shot? That one had me confused for a good long time!