Hollywood physics

Classical Mechanics Level 1

The Mission Impossible movies are typically filled with stunts that live on the edge of what seems possible. In the recent movie Ghost Protocol , one stunt involves an agent wearing a funky high-tech metal suit (it looks like some sort of chainmail). The agent is levitated off the floor using magnetic forces between the agent and a small robot sitting on the ground.

If I wanted to suspend a $90~\mbox{kg}$ secret agent in midair, what vertical force in Newtons must I exert on the agent, electromagnetic or otherwise?

Details and assumptions

The acceleration due to gravity is $-9.8~\mbox{m/s}^2$ .

The answer is 882.

3 solutions

Andhika Rahardian
Oct 28, 2013

$F = mg$

where

F = Force (Newtons)

m= Mass (kg)

g= gravity ( $m/s^{2}$ )

$F=90kg \times 9.8 m/s^{2}$ = $\boxed {882}$ $kg$ $m/s^{2}$ or $\boxed {882}$ $N$

i haven't studied this math yet

kim ngan - 7 years, 7 months ago

i studied that F=ma is F=mg is an another formula??

Sri Nath - 7 years, 7 months ago

In both equations, a and g represent the same quantity i.e. acceleration . But since gravitational acceleration is a special case of acceleration, so we use a separate letter i.e. g , to indicate it.

Sabeel Khan - 7 years, 6 months ago

Noel Quirol
Oct 27, 2013

F=ma

F= (90kg) (9.8m/s^2)

F = 882N

I like this solution, since it emphasizes that gravity is acceleration.

Gustav Bertram - 7 years, 7 months ago

th anks

Devashish Dewalkar - 7 years, 7 months ago

Kshitij Khandelwal
Oct 29, 2013

The force exerted by gravity on the man should be equal to the force applied.. So 9.8 x 90 = 882N

Hollywood physics

The answer is 882.

3 solutions

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