Could Hercules Have Destroyed the Marketplace?
Abstract
This paper explores the physics behind a scene in the Disney animation 'Hercules' in which the Demi-God destroys a whole market place by colliding with a pillar and, in an attempt to salvage the situation, causes a domino effect of destruction. By modelling the pillars on a Tuscan Order model, the physical force required to cause such devastation is calculated using simple force equations. Ultimately, what is shown in the film is fantasy as a man of the average weight 75 kg would be unable to generate the required amount of force without being at an extremely high speed.
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