Superman's Flight?

[fireinthedust]

Mass is a measure of the resistance of an object to a change in its state of motion.

Superman flying can't be exerting force using his muscles. He's not bracing himself on something else, he's bracing himself ON HIMSELF, on his position in the universe.

Yet he can also absorb tremendous physical impacts, such as bullets, though a good punch from a powerhouse will send him flying.

So does Superman have great Mass?

If he does, does his flight overwhelm that Mass/inertia enough to move it around the world?

Is it his flight that's really strong? Or even a force in addition to his body that is also strong?

Waddaya think of that?

(note: not a physicist)

 

[Sunseeker]

Initially, superman didn't have flight, he literally had the power to "leap tall buildings in a single bound". Eventually, he could leap so far it might as well have been flight. So Superman being able to fly is more of a comic-book "well he might as well anyway" than something describable by physics.

It could be argued that he does not fly, but moves the universe around him.

 

[Morrus]

Well, expecting it to make sense according to physical laws is asking for falure. it doesn't.

But I'd put forward that his abilities are telekinetic in nature. He doesn't really know this, and it's controlled by his subconscious and thus only manifests instinctively (when he's lifting something, or flying, or when he's hit by something) but he's effectively telekinetically hurling himself through the air.

 

[fireinthedust]

I was thinking something similar to both. Maybe he's some kind of cosmic battery that eats solar energy and transforms it into some kind of cosmic state? warps through the universe, can move anything, what have you. That gets disrupted when energy-related stuff hits him: red sun energy, kryptonite, that sort of stuff. Then he's weakened or normal.

 

[Loonook]

dc comics - How does Superman fly? - Science Fiction and Fantasy - Stack Exchange

Discussion here discusses each version of Superman and his flight/leaping ability.

The basis is that Kryptonian physiology (having evolved for high-gravity living) + Yellow Sun = Flight.

Slainte,

-Loonook.

 

[Drowbane]

Tactile Telekinesis.
That is how Superboy does it. And he is a partial clone of Superman. If it were up to me, Superman's (supergirl, superdog, etc) would be explained like this as well. Supposedly this will be the case in the new Superman movie reboot coming out in the near future.

 

[Dannyalcatraz]

Supes' intestines super-compress methane & other waste gasses, which he then uses for thrust in controlled bursts.

It also explains why his cape is always flapping.

 

[Relique du Madde]

Easy, he threw himself to the ground and missed.

Sent from my Xoom using Tapatalk 2

 

[MarkB]

Tactile Telekinesis.
That is how Superboy does it. And he is a partial clone of Superman. If it were up to me, Superman's (supergirl, superdog, etc) would be explained like this as well. Supposedly this will be the case in the new Superman movie reboot coming out in the near future.

I seem to recall this having been put forth for the 1970s-movies Superman as well. He would subconciously extend his flight ability around objects he was touching, which is why he can catch a falling radio mast by one end and not have it buckle in his hands.

It also explains why, during the flight scene with Lois in the first movie, she can 'fly' alongside him even when only lightly grasping his fingers, but plummets instantly when she loses her grip.

 

[Aberzanzorax]

I'd say he uses the force.

May it be with him...always.