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Which superhero has the strongest punch? Physics explanation

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#1 AliceInTheHoleWithRabbits

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Posted 30 January 2015 - 11:33 AM

Some Marvel fanboys would say it's Hulk, with an approximate amount of 1100lbs-1ton muscle, depending on the source you'll search in. According to Marvel, he can perform any force power when facing a challenge, especially if Bruce Banner can't exert any kind of control over him. Hulk once moved plate tectonics.

 

Otherwise, on DC's side we got Superman. This alien 220lbs pack of pure Kryptonian muscle is an eco-friendly superhero, since his cells are capable to absorb solar energy. Therefore, this power allows him to have superhuman strength/speed/hearing/vision and heat vision. He's already carried a planet.

 

So, which one of them has the strongest punch? None. This status goes to a DC Comics' superhero which is a lot smaller compared with these two: Flash. And he's about 187lbs.

 

Physics explains it all: according to Einstein's theory of relativity, the energy of an object varies depending on its mass and speed. At lower speeds (for example, up to 70% of the speed of light), this isn't too drastic; and we'd be generous to apply this "speed limit" to Hulk and Superman.

 

Talking about speeds such as the light, which Flash can easily reach, things get much more interesting. The energy he's moving can be described such as the following formula:

Dv2ctpf.png

(sorry for the crappy edition)

 

The closest to the speed of light, the smaller the fraction factor and the greater the amount of stored energy. That's why speeding up atoms in the Large Hadron Collider spends so much energy - 120MW in general, and that's enough to keep a city of 120.000 inhabitants.

 

If Flash can reach the speed of light (or even overcome it), doing whatever is it as he does, he could reach infinite power on his hand. For example: if he accelerates to 90% of the speed of light, he'd have a punch as energetic as A THOUSAND Hiroshima's bombs, assuming his fist's mass is 0,5kg.


P82qjiA.png

And again, that's not even close to Flash's potential. Just replace v/c and see it for yourself.

 

His punch would cause an explosion in Superman's pretty chin - and this one could reach the amount of 4x the asteroid that would have destroyed dinosaurs. However, we can't tell if Flash would survive his own punch.

--

Sorry for this whole text (and if it's in the wrong topic - I really didn't know where to put it - and if I've mistaken any word or expression), but I needed to explain very well. It was translated and adapted by myself, so all researching credits goes to Nerdologia channel on YouTube.

If anyone survived this post, please let me know!


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#2 No-Danico

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Posted 30 January 2015 - 06:40 PM

But Flash is DC and therefor loses automatically. In b4 shit tasters.

 

Also, I can buy this theory. Science aside, which I like, Flash was so overpowered in Mortal Combat VS DC that it wasn't even funny. He was to that game what Yoda was to Soul Caliber.


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#3 The Robstar

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Posted 31 January 2015 - 03:29 AM

Goku can tear a hole in the fabric of space with a mere flatulent :)


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#4 Silver_rose

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Posted 31 January 2015 - 06:12 AM

The statement: "The Flash is the superhero that has the strongest punch" is only valid at the speed he is moving at.
If he is walking at an average 4 km/hr his punch could be as weak as a typical 12 year old child.

 

But making the assumption that he is moving close to light speed the physics is accurate.

 

However the thing is you can never make the (v/c)^2 value to 1 - as in he is moving at the speed of light -  it makes the kinetic energy value at less than 0, which is... silly. So you can only ever put in a value up to 0.999999999999...(going on infinitely) to have a value that makes any sense.


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#5 AliceInTheHoleWithRabbits

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Posted 31 January 2015 - 07:24 PM

The statement: "The Flash is the superhero that has the strongest punch" is only valid at the speed he is moving at.
If he is walking at an average 4 km/hr his punch could be as weak as a typical 12 year old child.

The most logical thing to do at a fight, for example, is to reach for your greatest potential. But that's right, it really depends on the speed he's moving at.

But making the assumption that he is moving close to light speed the physics is accurate.

 

However the thing is you can never make the (v/c)^2 value to 1 - as in he is moving at the speed of light -  it makes the kinetic energy value at less than 0, which is... silly. So you can only ever put in a value up to 0.999999999999...(going on infinitely) to have a value that makes any sense.

I also don't think it was smart of DC's to make his speed level infinite, since it'd be higher than 1 - if I am not misunderstanding you.

Still, other superheroes certainly wouldn't even reach 0,8.

But Flash is DC and therefor loses automatically. In b4 shit tasters.

 

Also, I can buy this theory. Science aside, which I like, Flash was so overpowered in Mortal Combat VS DC that it wasn't even funny. He was to that game what Yoda was to Soul Caliber.

I think Marvel should really buy Batman and his stuff, because he's really the only good good thing they've made, probably. And they did managed to make him a shitty character in Injustice.


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#6 Silver_rose

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Posted 31 January 2015 - 07:47 PM

lol ok well if his speed is infinite the end result could - theoretically - break time barriers, do weird crap and potentially shatter the universe.
It probably wouldn't be measureable and the actual mathematical result would be "undefined".

 

But if we're talking about fighting, if I had the ability to move at unperceivable speeds, I wouldn't have to fight. I'd Just go in, remove the immediate threat the bad guys have (usually weapons), tie them up if necessary and just wait for the cops to come 'round and do their job.

 

It's not really that the flash can move fast, stealth is his real weapon with moving fast.
 


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