Mollaka's Great Jump: By Rachel Valdivieso

Casino Royale

The Law of conservation of Mechanical Energy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iWOX1N1fCuk

Action movies often provide great examples of bad physics, which consist of

unrealistic and physically impossible actions that occur “only in the movies”. In

Casino Royale 2006, one example of bad physics occured during the famous fight

scene when Mollaka jumped from the bridge to the building below. Mollaka’s velocity

as he landed on the building below can be calculated using the conservation of energy

laws.

Assuming Mollaka (80kg) jumped vertically upwards (at time 1:03 on the

video) from the crane with an initial velocity of 3.0m/s, how fast was he going when

he landed on the building (at time 1:09 on the video) 34m below? Ignoring all drag

force such as air resistance: the law of conservation of mechanical energy can be

used to solve for his final velocity.

law of conservation of mechanical energy:  mgy₀+1/2mv²₀= mgy_f+1/2mv²_f

At the top of the crane, Mollaka had potential energy at a height 34m(y₀) and

kinetic energy with an initial velocity 3.0m/s. The building he landed on will

be considered y_f=0m. His acceleration while falling was due to gravity, so

a=g=9.8m/s².

(80kg)(9.8m/s²)(34m)+(1/2)(80kg)(3.0m/s)²=(80kg)(1/2)(v_f)²+(80kg)(9.8m/s²)(0m)

solving for v_f:

v_f≈26m/s 2significant figures

This is an example of bad physics, because no person could land with a

velocity of 26m/s (approximately 58mi/h) and survive. The fact that Mollaka did

not break any bones or feel any pain was very unrealistic. In fact, Mollaka not only

survived without any pain, but continued his unrealistic actions by jumping to

another building below. The impact of the fall would have severely injured most

individuals and in the majority of cases, would have resulted in death. The director

therefore broke the laws of physics in order to create an entertaining film.