Lord of the Rings, rated PGP

[Lalwendë]

-Legolas walking on top of the snow. The snow isn't dense enough to support the amount of pressure from his weight only applied over the surface area of the sole of his feet. At least in the book, he has to run across the snow, but would that really make it any more believable?

As long as he did not stand still, this would be possible. I was watching a fairly laddish show called Brainiac Science Abuse on Sky the other week (yes, yes, I know it's hardly intellectual, but they blow up microwaves and that...) and they did an experiment to prove that you can walk on custard. They filled a swimming pool with the stuff and yes, you can walk on it; but if you stand still it sucks you in like quicksand. Just a mere trifle for you there...

[Elianna]

Thanks Lalwende! Did they explain at all why you can do that?

Here's another: dwarf tossing. No way Aragorn can give Gimli enough initial velocity to get him from the side door to the causeway. Gimli weighs too much.

[Lalwendë]

Thanks Lalwende! Did they explain at all why you can do that?

I think it was something to do with your weight being spread across the molecules and pushing the water away, and the explanation was sismilar to that given for why quicksand works in the same way. But I have to admit, I was in hysterics at the absurdity of doing an experiment involving walking on custard, so the science part was lost on me a bit. I think a quick 'google' for quicksand should tell you why this happens!

[Ainaserkewen]

Here is but another example of a thread that people love to discuss what they hate, or think is off.

So Gandalf falls seemingly to his doom with the Balrog. His sword falls behind him, but he manages to catch it/fight the Balrog/win. Doesn't gravity pull all objects at the same rate? This has been discussed so often since the Two Towers came out, I'm sure it's been overused.

[Gil-Galad]

i finnally remember one

-the mystery of Gandalf and Saruman on top of Orthanc, how the bloody did they get there? Tolkien never stated that they had teleporting powers, or flying powers, anything like that, they were just guides to stop Sauron, no magic mumbo-jumbo...

[Lalwendë]

Here is but another example of a thread that people love to discuss what they hate, or think is off.

It could be a good one this thread, though, and actually explain why some things might happen in apparent contravention of the laws of science in our world. Of course, as long as you're not like me and you watch experiments involving custard, thus provoking excesive laughter and hence missing the useful explanation....

Sooo...

Here's another: dwarf tossing. No way Aragorn can give Gimli enough initial velocity to get him from the side door to the causeway. Gimli weighs too much.

This might be possible, as I'm sure the heavier an object the more speed it picks up as it is moves; this is to do with the laws of velocity and I don't know the exact theory but I'm sure this is true. This is why an oil tanker takes longer to stop than a fishing boat; the additional weight lends it more velocity.

[Elianna]

Originally Posted by Lalwendë

This might be possible, as I'm sure the heavier an object the more speed it picks up as it is moves; this is to do with the laws of velocity and I don't know the exact theory but I'm sure this is true. This is why an oil tanker takes longer to stop than a fishing boat; the additional weight lends it more velocity.

Actually, if an object is free-fall, the only force acting on it is gravity, which is always a constent: 9.81 m/s sq. All objects fall at the same speed, no matter what their weight is. A heavier object (like the oiltanker) picks up more momentum as it accelerates. Momentum does have to do with velocity and with mass of an object. I misspoke when I said the problem with dwarf-tossing was Gimli's wieght; the real problem is that Aragorn isn't strong enough to give Gimli the initial velocity he appears to be travel with. (But that he lacks the stength has to do with Gimli's weight.) It'll take me a while to spit out some numbers.