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 Where did my physics go? =( 
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Because I think it would be interesting and fun, let's talk Physics in Pokemon. There are far too many problems with the Pokemon themselves and the technology, so please post all problems and solutions you can think of.

One of the biggest problems I can see is the entire concept of the Pokeball. Obviously it's some sort of matter-energy conversion device, but what does that have to do with fruit (Apricorns)? Why does it work on Pokemon and not humans?

How are some Pokemon able to conjure several tons of water at will?


Tue Apr 20, 2010 6:50 pm
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Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:09 pm
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They say that before the Big Bang, all the matter in the universe could have fit on the head of a pin because it was so tightly compacted (obviously just a theory, but it seems the best educated guess). Also, things are mostly unfilled space because there's so much space in atoms. Anyways, maybe pokeballs just compact the matter of a Pokemon into the small space. I don't know how that wouldn't kill them, but...it's Pokemon. They can inflict injury with telekinetic forces. They are beyond the laws of physics.


Wed Apr 21, 2010 7:28 pm
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I just think it would be neat to try to resolve some of this.

As for the Pokeballs simply compacting the matter, that doesn't work because there is still mass. Onix the size of Onix and Onix the size of a Pokeball still weighs the same.


Thu Apr 22, 2010 3:02 pm
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That's true...That would be one heavy pokeball.


Thu Apr 22, 2010 3:21 pm
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The Pokéball thing would have to be an advancement of the technology (and hence, physics) involved in shrinking a submarine to be injected into a human body -- as in "Fantastic Voyage".

I'm currently more curious about the physics of these Pokémon following me around. If I have one right behind me and I turn around and take a step . . . the Pokémon passes right through me! How the heck do they do that???

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Sun Jun 06, 2010 10:36 am
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Perhaps the pokeball merely converts them into data? If we were to borrow from the Star Trek fandom, we could assume that transporters have been invented in PokeWorld, and the way pokemon are transfered is through breaking down the genetic code, transmitting it in binary, then reconstructing on the other side.

The pokeball is like a transporter with a single terminus, so the pokemon's genetic code is broken down into binary, stored, then reconstructed when the trainer (or willful pokemon) triggers the release.

As to why humans can't be caught...um...humans lack a close connection with nature and therefore the ability to transmit personal mass and energy into other forms? lol.

I wonder how many GB a pokemon would take up....hahaha.

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Tue Jun 08, 2010 2:21 pm
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kakuloo wrote:
Perhaps the pokeball merely converts them into data? If we were to borrow from the Star Trek fandom, we could assume that transporters have been invented in PokeWorld, and the way pokemon are transfered is through breaking down the genetic code, transmitting it in binary, then reconstructing on the other side.

The pokeball is like a transporter with a single terminus, so the pokemon's genetic code is broken down into binary, stored, then reconstructed when the trainer (or willful pokemon) triggers the release.

As to why humans can't be caught...um...humans lack a close connection with nature and therefore the ability to transmit personal mass and energy into other forms? lol.

I wonder how many GB a pokemon would take up....hahaha.


An {arceus} would most likely crash your hard-drive. lol

But yeah. This is a pretty interesting topic.

Since we're on the "sub-topic" of pokeballs.
That may be why the "Heavy Ball" was created. Perhaps pokeball, when compacting the pokemon within it, it also minimizes it's weight utilizing the same weight recognition technology that the Heavy Ball uses. Strangely enough though.. All this technology that goes into the pokeball in order to compact pokemon are futile when trying to hide the scent of a pokemon. (Like {muk}'s horrible smell in the Anime.. and it's 'stench' ability in the game.)


BarnOwl wrote:
I'm currently more curious about the physics of these Pokémon following me around. If I have one right behind me and I turn around and take a step . . . the Pokémon passes right through me! How the heck do they do that???


Since you view your character, and the rest of the game, in an angle.. maybe it doesn't really pass through you, but instead moves passed you in the direction furthest from the camera therefore making it seem like it passes through you. If the pokemon is a ghost type on the other-hand, that's a more believable reason since ghosts are supposedly able to phase through solid matter.


Wed Jun 09, 2010 6:55 am
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Quote:
Since you view your character, and the rest of the game, in an angle.. maybe it doesn't really pass through you, but instead moves passed you in the direction furthest from the camera therefore making it seem like it passes through you. If the pokemon is a ghost type on the other-hand, that's a more believable reason since ghosts are supposedly able to phase through solid matter.



Or perhaps, if it is small enough, it's going under you? (Doesn't quite work with a Snorlax, though, does it?)

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Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:53 am
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Not if it's supposed to be going under you. D=

But if it passed 'through' you but your character appears overlapping the Snorlax, then that does indeed prove that it merely moves passed you.


Wed Jun 09, 2010 8:03 am
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Ok, back to pokeballs and such. Well in a way pokemon seems and is futuristic and in a way, not... but the pokeball does shrink pokemon because there was an episode when you see Misty's psyduck inside the pokeball. Oh and yeah, pokemon obviously isn't realistic in any way because of the concept of people allowing there 10 year olds to cross the country alone AND the concept of the pokemon themselves! I mean "ok Gallade just go and teleport then summon a completely unrealistic lightning bolt from the cloudless sky!" :( and such...
And how does one generate 20,000 gallons of water from nowhere?

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Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:06 pm
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Water explanation: There is this stuff called superabsorbent polymer which can absorb 500 times it's own weight. So...assuming that water types have sacks (kinda like how pikachu has cheek sacks for electricity?) filled with a biological equivalent of this stuff (or perhaps something similar, but even more efficient!) then they could conceivably be able to regurgitate the water as well. =D

Perhaps in PokeWorld, ten is not such an immature age. Especially if schooling is mainly home taught/pokemon based. As to the idea that the kids might be in danger...the pokemon they are given seem to be their insurance. There also seems to be a great infrastructure system in place for such traveling trainers, with free PokeCenters everywhere and roads/paths well maintained for the most part.

People in PokeWorld seem to live an awfully long time too (what with all the immensely old and wrinkly wise grandpas/grandmas that are seen everywhere). So perhaps schooling isn't as important until later in life? Everything seems to also be based on an apprentice system, so ten would be a good age to go out, find your true calling, and get someone to train you in it. (It's not that far fetched, I was cooking family meals and walking to school by myself when I was ten. If kids are raised to be self-sufficient in taking care of themselves, they can do it!)

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Wed Jun 09, 2010 2:56 pm
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Its a video game, it doesn't have to resemble real life physics at all.

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Wed Jun 09, 2010 7:13 pm
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Big J 0526 wrote:
Its a video game, it doesn't have to resemble real life physics at all.



We know. But where is the fun in that? The whole point of this thread is to say "What if?" and "How could we explain?" It an exercise in using knowledge of the world imaginatively. If you are content with a limited view of the game, so be it. But let those of us who wish to extrapolate further do so freely. ^_^

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Thu Jun 10, 2010 8:49 am
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I think that Pokeballs convert Pokemon into mass amounts of energy, which explains why the pokemon turn into red globs in the anime and why when you release a Pokemon a bright flash comes out. It also explains why some larger Pokemon are usually harder to catch than smaller Pokemon (Mew is easier tp catch thna Ho-Oh) and legendary Pokemon have the ability to somehwat defy physics (Giratina, Palkia, and Dialga all have power over physics, so why cant other pokemon do somewhat similar things?) Like Mew and Shaymin, smaller Pokemon that are still somewhat difficult to catch ca somehow change their density and weight. So these Pokemon can be very dense and have a lot of matter, but be very light.

I also believe that for moves like surf, the super absorbent polymer wouldnt work. I think that the water pokemon have some sort of ability to gather moisture from the air. On a better note, how do fire pokemon spit fire? Or electric Pokemon conjur electricity from essentially nowhere?

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Tue Jun 15, 2010 3:14 pm
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I think Dragonology does a good job of explaining fire-breathing animals, so I will steal their explanation.

Like fire-breathing dragons, fire pokemon have long-burning oil-filled sacs on their tails, heads, etc, as well as inside their throats. They also have intensely strong muscles that create massive pressures, igniting these oil sacs to create fire. All these fire pokemon have mucus membranes that insulate the insides of their body, keeping them somewhat to very resistant against fire, thus allowing them to use the move Flamethrower, Ember, etc.

Electric pokemon probably work the same way as electric eels work.
Wikipedia wrote:
The electric eel has three abdominal pairs of organs that produce electricity: the Main organ, the Hunter's organ, and the Sachs organ. These organs comprise four-fifths of its body, and are what give the electric eel the ability to generate two types of electric organ discharges (EODs), low voltage and high voltage. These organs are made of electrocytes, lined up so that the current flows through them and produces an electrical charge. When the eel locates its prey, the brain sends a signal through the nervous system to the electric cells. This opens the ion channel, allowing positively-charged sodium to flow through, reversing the charges momentarily. By causing a sudden difference in voltage, it generates a current.

For moves like Thunder and Thunderbolt, which take electricity from the sky, the Pokemon probably use a combination of static buildup in the environment and the fur, and shamanistic chanting.

How do "beam" attacks like Aurora and Signal Beam work?

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Wed Jun 16, 2010 4:28 pm
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Lightshayde wrote:


How do "beam" attacks like Aurora and Signal Beam work?


Hmm, probably........ I don't actually know. Many "beams" as they are known are lasers, which are just highly concentrated beams of light. Only problem is that it requires a lot of technology just to make one laser, and make it well. I highly doubt every pokemon is equipped with the technology to create lasers in their hands and throats (Or eyes if your count gen 2's leer, lol). I think beam attacks truly defy physics becuase in order to make a beam that could do as much damage as Hyper Beam you would need a gargantuan machine, one that coulnt fit in the throat of any pokemon and work. Aurora Beam doesnt make any sense either because Aurora Borealis is created by earth's magnetic field (I dont know the specifics however) So making a beam similar to the Aurora Borealis is physically impossible, lus even if you could it would be super weak... It just be bent light actually.

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Wed Jun 16, 2010 5:28 pm
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Aurora Beam is classified as ice type, in any case

It might just be a "breath" of supercold air blown at the enemy at high speeds, which when seen from the side bends light into a borealis.

About having to have large machines to create powerful beams: Not true. If you look at a laser that can burn through a body in seconds, though they are only pinpricks of light, they can be generated with a lightsaber-sized machine.

I think the anime portrays beam attacks like such as more like breaths or even as flamethrowers, in the case of Hyperbeam.

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Thu Jun 17, 2010 11:42 am
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Lightshayde wrote:
Aurora Beam is classified as ice type, in any case

It might just be a "breath" of supercold air blown at the enemy at high speeds, which when seen from the side bends light into a borealis.

About having to have large machines to create powerful beams: Not true. If you look at a laser that can burn through a body in seconds, though they are only pinpricks of light, they can be generated with a lightsaber-sized machine.

I think the anime portrays beam attacks like such as more like breaths or even as flamethrowers, in the case of Hyperbeam.


I meant the size of the beams for hyper beam aren't really beams anyways. The beams are about the size of basketballs, wheras lasers are very focused and concentrated. I don't know super concentrated horrible breath? Or what? Beam attacks don't really make sense. I also don't think that even the coldest air could bend light into borealis. Unless it warped the air in some way to make it so it has the illusion of bending light into every spectrum, but, extreme cold, last time I checked doesn't do that.

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Thu Jun 17, 2010 4:39 pm
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This dawned on me a short while ago, and it resolves a TON of things that leave me scratching my head.

Basically, Pokemon are actually beings MADE of energy that are able to consciously take a physical form. Usually, they take the form of creatures in the environment they landed in. This helps distinguish them from regular plants and animals, which are mentioned to exist in some Pokedex entries. Pokeballs are simply electromagnets that cause Pokemon to destabilize and become trapped in the balls. This would also explain why they are able to conjure massive amounts of energy and matter at-will.


Sun Jun 20, 2010 7:36 pm
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Beams are just high amounts of energy stored within the body and released in a linear fashion. Aurora Beam is cold air with a chemical agent that refracts light similar to a prism. Poke Balls convert Pokemon's DNA into quadernary code, convert the actual molecules into pure, compactable energy, and when the Pokemon is released, the sequence in DNA is used by a third machine to arrange the energy and convert it back into the proper matter. The conversion between energy and matter was proven by Einstein. I have nothing to do at 3 o' clock in the morning but obsess over these questions. Ask me anything else and I'll be happy to answer.


Sun Jun 20, 2010 9:44 pm
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Lv 100 Sceptile wrote:
Beams are just high amounts of energy stored within the body and released in a linear fashion. Aurora Beam is cold air with a chemical agent that refracts light similar to a prism. Poke Balls convert Pokemon's DNA into quadernary code, convert the actual molecules into pure, compactable energy, and when the Pokemon is released, the sequence in DNA is used by a third machine to arrange the energy and convert it back into the proper matter. The conversion between energy and matter was proven by Einstein. I have nothing to do at 3 o' clock in the morning but obsess over these questions. Ask me anything else and I'll be happy to answer.


If what you say about beams is true, then why is it larger Pokemon don't do massively more damage then smaller pokemon do with beams. By that logic you could say that a level 45 Dragonite would do much much more damage than a level 100 Dratini with the same move.

Also, what would be the point of the chemical in Aurora Beam? Is it just a side effect or is it specifically put there?

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Mon Jun 21, 2010 2:01 pm
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Savage Hunter wrote:

If what you say about beams is true, then why is it larger Pokemon don't do massively more damage then smaller pokemon do with beams. By that logic you could say that a level 45 Dragonite would do much much more damage than a level 100 Dratini with the same move.



Maybe it's also a matter of skill? A Level 45 Dragonite might not know right where to put that beam of energy like a level 100 Dratini might? The Dratini has the benefit of having battled many more pokemon and learning where to place such a beam to maximum effect. =P

Any thoughts on how the pokeball manages to fly back to the trainer's hand after being thrown into battle.

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Mon Jun 21, 2010 4:29 pm
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kakuloo wrote:
Savage Hunter wrote:

If what you say about beams is true, then why is it larger Pokemon don't do massively more damage then smaller pokemon do with beams. By that logic you could say that a level 45 Dragonite would do much much more damage than a level 100 Dratini with the same move.



Maybe it's also a matter of skill? A Level 45 Dragonite might not know right where to put that beam of energy like a level 100 Dratini might? The Dratini has the benefit of having battled many more pokemon and learning where to place such a beam to maximum effect. =P

Any thoughts on how the pokeball manages to fly back to the trainer's hand after being thrown into battle.


Electromagnetism neatly asnwers that question. The trainer could subtly puch a button somehwere on his person and the ball and his hand would both become electromagnetically attracted.

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Mon Jun 21, 2010 11:20 pm
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Have you noticed that all trainers wear gloves? That's where the electromagnetism is.

That Aurora Beam chemical is a side effect, generated from the Pokemon's body and released when the attack is launched.

On the beams: I thought this woul arise. A large Pokemon does store more energy, but an experienced one knows how to properly release the energy, similar to what kakuloo wrote.


Tue Jun 22, 2010 9:30 am
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