Question

In a scene of a movie, the superhero grabs the villain by the neck and throws him forward. The superhero, however, remains stationary. Does this scene violate the law of conservation of momentum? Why or why not?

Answer 1

See explanation.

Explanation:

It can happen, but some specific conditions must be met.

The end speed of both characters depend on:

• the mass difference between them,

• surface where they are standing (friction)

• exact direction where the throw is made.

So if we suppose that:

• the hero is someone heavy (e.g. Hulk) and the villain is someone slim,

• they are standing on a surface with big friction

• the villain is not thrown exactly horrizontally but under an angle,

then it is possible that the hero stands still (or moves only slightly).