Outline of the Second Term Paper

Balance and Center of Gravity

Introduction

·        Oftentimes movies incorrectly demonstrate physics principles

·        One principle that is oftentimes easy to spot is when balance and center of gravity of the subject is off

·        It is often easy to notice this incorrectly used physics law as something usually just doesn’t look right

Body 1 – Back to the Future III

·        Clara’s center of gravity is about in the middle of her body

·        She is being held onto the train by her skirt and she is pulling on a pipe

·        She is sticking out too horizontally for her balance to be right on a train moving 80 miles/hr with her balancing herself from falling off the train with her skirt and the pipe

·        With her center of gravity, Clara should have been closer to the train

Body 2 – Final Fantasy

·        Cloud is driving an enormous (heavy motorcycle)

·        He pulls out a sword almost as big as him (it’s probably very heavy)

·        It doesn’t seem to affect his center of gravity as he pulls it out of the holster

·        In one scene the motorcycle, his body, and the sword are all tilting in the same direction, yet he is able to remain in an upright position when the center of gravity should make him fall over in his position

·        There is another scene which shows how his center of gravity would have been correctly balanced

·        Director made the sword seem weightless to create a more intense fighting sequence

Body 3 – My Neighbor Totoro

·        When the baby totoros are running away from May, they seem to walk with their center of gravity in a different place than it would be expected while climbing up a steep rock

·        When May climbs up the same rock, her center of gravity looks to be in the correct spot, allowing her to balance on the rock.

·        This ignored factor allows the totoros to seem more magical

Conclusion

·        All 3 of these movies illustrate the misuse of balance and center or gravity among its subjects