Educator Guide: Camera Captures Physics in a Snap

Physics December 18, 2021

image of a hand snapping on a yellow backdrop — A finger snap produces one of the fastest rotational motions known in the human body, almost as fast as some professional baseball pitchers’ arms.

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About this guide

In this guide, students will learn about an experiment inspired by the movie Avengers: Infinity War that investigates the role of friction in a successful finger snap. Students will then apply their scientific knowledge to assess scientific accuracy in movies and other media.

This Guide Includes:

Exercise type:Comprehension
Topic:Physics

Science in a snap

Students will answer questions about the online Science News article “New high-speed video reveals the physics of a finger snap,” which details scientists’ exploration of the friction required for finger snapping. A version of the article, “Camera captures physics in a snap,” appears in the December 18, 2021 & January 1, 2022 issue of Science News.

Exercise type:Discussion
Topic:Physics

Science on screen

Students will discuss the physics of finger snapping and apply their scientific knowledge to think critically about the scientific accuracy of movies and online demonstrations.