Wednesday, March 19, 2014

Harry Potter--The Science Behind the Magic



Friends, be sure and stop by Crystal Collier's blog. I'm hanging out over there, sharing two truths, one lie, and other fun information.

Today we're doing something a little different. Super nice and super smart Stephen Tremp is here to share the science of Harry Potter using E=Mc2. I should mention that science was always my worst subject. I've only had one C on my report card. Guess which subject? Yep. Science.

Just for fun, let's hear how an epic duel between Dumbledor and Voldemort could've really happened. Take it away, Stephen!

The Science of Harry Potter using E=Mc2
My “thing” is to converge science and the supernatural, using Einstein’s famous equation E=Mc2. This will help make sense of our universe. According to me, at least. 
In the Harry Potter series, there is much magic that allows for spectacular settings and scenes, both in the books and the movies. But can there really be any science behind the magic? Let’s take the epic duel in Order of the Phoenix between Professor Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort in the atrium of the Ministry of Magic.
Albus Dumbledore: "It was foolish to come here tonight, Tom. The Aurors are on their way —
Voldemort: "By which time I shall be gone, and you dead!
— Dumbledore and Voldemort taunt each other briefly prior to the duel

So how can these duelers make fireballs of death and water prisons out of small insignificant sources of fuel? 
Enter =Mc2: Einstein’s iconic equation. The equal sign means just that. Equal. One side equals the other. So energy is the same as matter times the speed of light squared. That’s a lot of energy if you take a moment to think about it. 
Okay, but what does that mean? Think of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Both bombs released less than two percent of their total potential energy. And just think of the mass destruction they caused. That being said, what if the bombs released one hundred percent of their energy?
Your Assignment: Google “Mass To Energy Calculator” and try it out. For example, 100 pounds of mass, should it be able to release all of its energy, would be the equivalent of close to 1,000 megatons of TNT!
Here is one such link: CLICK HERE and scroll down to the Energy To Mass Calculator and give it a try.

So perhaps Dumbledore and Voldemort weren’t just waving wands and magically making things out of nothing. They could simply be using the potential energy of nearby objects such as fire and water to make awesome weapons by converting mass to energy and energy to mass.

Thanks, Stephen! 

See what I mean about smart? Stephen even makes me think science is fun.

Tell me, friends, are you fascinated by science? Or were you like me and got a C and never wanted to take that class again? Have you ever wondered how story scenes could've possibly happened for realz? Please share!
Stephen Tremp is the author of the Breakthrough series. Together, Breakthrough, Opening, and Escalation follow the lives of the unlikely participants from innocence to a coming of age through sacrifice, betrayal, passion, lust, unconditional love, and hope. Escalation will appeal to fans of modern-day science fiction, action, horror, and even romance.

Stop by Stephen’s Blog for more information on the Breakthrough series. To download Escalation: The Adventures of Chase Manhattan CLICK HERE

28 comments:

  1. A most interesting read we learn something new everyday, Thanks Stephen.
    Yvonne.

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    1. Yes! It's fun to learn something new every day

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  2. Love that there's a calculator for everything online now! Great to see how science could have factored into the big duel. Good luck with the blog tour, Stephen!

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    1. Elizabeth, I thought the same thing...there's a calculator for that!! Kinda like "there's an app for that"

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  3. Wouldn't it be awesome if that were true? Because then maybe we could harness the science of the magic and get wands too. Thanks for sharing, Steven.

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    1. Beth, you're not alone. Science goes waaay over my head. But my boys are really good at it. Go figure.

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  5. Very cool explanation. I love science and started my college career as a bio-chem major. Stephen makes it all so interesting.

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  6. It only seems like magic when we don't understand it. Well explained, Stephen.

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    1. Alex, very true. Like a car engine. Seems like magic to me!

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  7. I always liked science (and still do)! I just wished I didn't have to be graded on it. It was fun to learn but not so fun to study on it! Space and planets, the atmosphere and environment were my favorite types of science! I like this idea of science behind the magic, too. :) Cool post!

    Happy reading and writing! from Laura Marcella @ Wavy Lines

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    1. Laura, it's funny...I like science way more now than I did as a kid. Probably because I can learn about what I find fascinating, not what I should learn about.

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  8. Thank you Julie for hosting me! I really love this post. Now I want to call in sick for a week and read the entire Harry Potter series. Again.

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    1. Stephen, thank YOU for sharing your science wisdom with us!

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  9. That is the premise of magic. Taking energy from earth, wind, fire and water--in other words, from the natural things around you.

    Sia McKye Over Coffee

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    1. Sia, I never thought of it that way! Makes sense though.

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  10. I had never thought of equating magic and E=Mc2. With science you can rationalise anything.

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    1. Jo, so true! I'm glad Stephen showed us the way.

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  11. I'm not one for science, lol, or math for that matter. I like my magic mysterious, unexplained. Of course, only the good kind.

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    1. Traci, I'm like you with math and science. Oy!

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  12. This is AWESOME. I'm a total science geek and a Potter fan so this is fuel for my soul. Thank you, Stephen.

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    1. Leslie, I'm not surprised that this is your thing!

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  13. I totally did NOT do my homework, but I take your word for it...you convinced me with E=Mc2

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  14. Stephen, that was an awesome in Harry Potter--both in the book and the movie. I'll just go with the magic and take your word on the science!
    Hi, Julie!

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  15. Theresa, I'm like you---I'll take his word for it :) *waves*

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