A3_1 Simple Harmonic Rex

Abstract

Artistic licence often tests fundamental physical laws in contemporary cinema, allowing for unrealistic yet creative scenes. Nevertheless, these improbable scenarios can be valuable exercises in applying our physical knowledge to unique situations. From the 1999 movie Toy Story 2, we calculated the spring constant of Slinky the Dog's spring and the friction coefficient between his paws and the rooftop he was standing on. The value for the spring constant was found to vary between 9.04 N/m and 2.63 N/m and the friction coefficient was found to vary between 1.69 and 4.90. These are then compared to typically used values to assess the scenario's plausibility.