Popular "bad physics" hurts students' understanding

Movies such as Spiderman and Speed generate excitement among audiences with their cool special effects. But they also defy the laws of physics, contributing to students’ ignorance about science.

"Some people really do believe a bus traveling 70 mph can clear a 50-foot gap in a freeway, as depicted in the movie Speed. And, if that were realistic, a ramp would be needed to adjust the direction of motion to even try to make the leap", said UCF professor Costas J. Efthimiou, who co-authored the article.

See PhysOrg.