Outline for the Second Term Paper

Physics principle: Wave

Introduction

• Waves play an integral part in most films. Though it is a basic idea, it's a fundamental element of sound, explosions, and waves. It's simple enough in theory, but it's much more complex in real life which makes it either difficult to replicate in movies or not very feasible to have portrayed accurately.
• Define wave.

Body

• TV Show: The Powerpuff Girls
• Scene http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkpyjQo2xXM 8:16

• How is it incorrect?:
• Bubble's sonic scream glows white like a light source.
• The waves travel slower than the speed of sound.
• The sound is heard before the visual sound waves reaches the camera.
• The waves travel in a line rather than in all direction from Bubbles.
• Bubbles is able to withstand her own sonic scream.
• Film:  The Humpbacked Horse
• Scene http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFXpCtHmU1U 43:31
• How is it incorrect?:
• The waves do not scale appropriately back in perspective.
• The sea foam is not referenced.
• Not very believable.
• Flat.
• Too ordered in its movements. Not chaotic enough.
• Doesn't relate to the wind as seen in the boat and birds.
• Film: Star Wars
• Scene http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qniy8aDSFLA 0:32
• How is it incorrect?:
• Throughout there are explosions that are accompanied with sound.
• In space, there is little air for the waves to travel along and so the sound shouldn't be as loud.
• The physics of it was known but was ignored to increase entertainment value.

Conclusion

• Reasons for such decisions.
• Visuals for the sonic scream may have been used to clarify what was going on.
• The speed helped clarification as well.
• It aided the story to work differently from real physics.
• The physics was not the main focus of the scene.
• It increased entertainment value.
• These films are greatly loved though and as long as the story and characters are good then the physics may be altered for the universe they take place in.