# A question about g-forces and Spiderman's supersphincter **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2004, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108 "2004-06-25T00:03:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/1 "2004-06-25T00:03:09Z")
Watching _Spiderman_, I had this thought–which I had again, watching promos for the sequel: Swinging at the end of that long web, at that speed, across that arc, what g-forces would Spiderman be subject to? I mean, it seemed highly unrealistic to me: it seemed, watching him, that if could actually hold on against such extreme centrifugal force, his intestines would come squirting out his ass. So do we assume that his spidey powers include super grip AND super sphincter control? But if so, what about when he’s holding his chick with one arm, and swinging like that? What kind of sphincter control are we supposed to believe she has? Seems to me that swinging a normal human across that arc would be pretty likely to kill them. Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![Uvula\_Donor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e19adc/32.png) [@Uvula\_Donor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uvula_Donor)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/2 "2004-06-25T00:13:15Z")
I’m pretty sure he shoots a web over his bung to hold it closed. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/3 "2004-06-25T00:14:39Z")
God knows I’m no where near qualified to give any sort of a factual answer to this question, but it seems unlikely to me that the g-forces Spiderman experiences by swinging from a high building at the end of a line would be anywhere near the g-forces experienced by a jet fighter pilot, or an astronaut, or one of those giant centrifuges they use for training the two above professions. And, so far as I know, those don’t usually cause people to poop their guts out. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/4 "2004-06-25T00:17:41Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > God knows I’m no where near qualified to give any sort of a factual answer to this question, but it seems unlikely to me that the g-forces Spiderman experiences by swinging from a high building at the end of a line would be anywhere near the g-forces experienced by a jet fighter pilot, or an astronaut, or one of those giant centrifuges they use for training the two above professions. And, so far as I know, those don’t usually cause people to poop their guts out. Well, they’re strapped into a padded seat, with the direction of force perpendicular to the orientation of their colon. Spidey’s orientation is parallel to the force. Like swinging a bottle, neck out. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/5 "2004-06-25T00:27:03Z")
Remember that Spidey’s physical strength is much greater than the human norm. Including the sphincter muscle. ---
**Author:** ![Miller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/miller/32/481_2.png) [@Miller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miller)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/6 "2004-06-25T00:28:14Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Well, they’re strapped into a padded seat, with the direction of force perpendicular to the orientation of their colon. Spidey’s orientation is parallel to the force. Like swinging a bottle, neck out. Good point. I just don’t think that the g-forces at the end of his webline would be nearly that extreme. Again, I have next to no solid knowledge about physics or physiology, just my \ gut instinct. It seems that g-forces powerful enough to do what you’re talking about would do all sorts of other damage to the human body before it got to the extruded intestines part. The internet being what it is, I’m 99% certain someone somewhere has worked out all the numbers to this, but I’m not about to Google “spiderman + sphincter.” God only knows what that search would turn up. ---
**Author:** ![bughunter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/aeb1de/32.png) [@bughunter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bughunter)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/7 "2004-06-25T00:31:38Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > Remember that Spidey’s physical strength is much greater than the human norm. > Including the sphincter muscle. That quote brings to mind an old Eddie Murphy standup bit where he performs an impression of Mr. T in prison. But it’s rather too… ahem… _colorful_ to post here. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/8 "2004-06-25T00:38:12Z")
Very roughly, if he was going 147fps (about 100mph) on the end of a 250 foot rope, he would experience about 86Gs. He must be strong. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/9 "2004-06-25T00:42:10Z")
> [@bughunter](#): > > That quote brings to mind an old Eddie Murphy standup bit where he performs an impression of Mr. T in prison. > > But it’s rather too… ahem… _colorful_ to post here. “Slow down, boy…” ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/10 "2004-06-25T00:44:16Z")
And, just out of idle curiosity, the paint on the tip of a typical aircraft propeller experiences 6400 Gs or so. Wowie. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/11 "2004-06-25T02:40:38Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > The internet being what it is, I’m 99% certain someone somewhere has worked out all the numbers to this, but I’m not about to Google “spiderman + sphincter.” God only knows what that search would turn up. You’d think by now I’d have learned not to do things like this… We need a shuddering smiley. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/12 "2004-06-25T02:40:53Z")
You’ve got your priorities all wrong. The sphincter is actually a very strong muscle. I’d be more worried about his aorta. Lots of crash victims die because their heart keeps moving when the rest of them stop, and it rips itself out of its arteries. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/13 "2004-06-25T03:07:23Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > The internet being what it is, I’m 99% certain someone somewhere has worked out all the numbers to this, but I’m not about to Google “spiderman + sphincter.” Wise choice. Wise, wise choice. ---
**Author:** ![spectrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc29f/32.png) [@spectrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spectrum)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/14 "2004-06-25T03:18:48Z")
> [@lissener](#): > > Watching _Spiderman_, I had this thought–which I had again, watching promos for the sequel: Swinging at the end of that long web, at that speed, across that arc, what g-forces would Spiderman be subject to? I mean, it seemed highly unrealistic to me: it seemed, watching him, that if could actually hold on against such extreme centrifugal force, his intestines would come squirting out his ass. So do we assume that his spidey powers include super grip AND super sphincter control? Is he strong? Listen, Bud, he’s got radioactive blood. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/15 "2004-06-25T04:33:25Z")
Quoth **Berkut** : > [@](#): > > Very roughly, if he was going 147fps (about 100mph) on the end of a 250 foot rope, he would experience about 86Gs. Fortunately, he’s not going 147 fps on the end of a 250 foot rope. As a matter of fact, it turns out that the length of his web doesn’t matter. If we assume that he starts and ends with the web horizontal, that the web doesn’t stretch, and that the weight of the web is negligible compared to his own weight (that is, he’s a simple pendulum with an amplitude of 90 degrees) then he’ll feel exactly **three gees** at the bottom of his swing. Which takes some strength, yes, but it’s far from unbearable. You’ve probably felt that many gees into your seat on a roller coaster, and you didn’t lose control of your bowels (at least, I hope you didn’t). ---
**Author:** ![xvxdarkknightxvx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/34f0e0/32.png) [@xvxdarkknightxvx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xvxdarkknightxvx)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/16 "2004-06-25T05:10:28Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Quoth **Berkut** :Fortunately, he’s not going 147 fps on the end of a 250 foot rope. As a matter of fact, it turns out that the length of his web doesn’t matter. If we assume that he starts and ends with the web horizontal, that the web doesn’t stretch, and that the weight of the web is negligible compared to his own weight (that is, he’s a simple pendulum with an amplitude of 90 degrees) then he’ll feel exactly **three gees** at the bottom of his swing. Which takes some strength, yes, but it’s far from unbearable. You’ve probably felt that many gees into your seat on a roller coaster, and you didn’t lose control of your bowels (at least, I hope you didn’t). ☹ I knew this thread would bring back some bad memories. As long as we’re asking about superhero physics, I have a few I’d like to know. The Flash can run at (approaching) the speed of light, and he’s also able to think and talk at the speed of light. How can the speed force make his brain think faster? Also, when he talks at near the speed of light, what speed his the sound moving? Another thing, if he’s able to do all this, how can anything be a surprise to him? Shouldn’t he be able to see everything in slow motion due to relativity? I don’t get how he can accidently run into a wall that shoots up from the ground if he’s able to see everything happen in slow-mo. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/17 "2004-06-25T05:42:11Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Quoth \*\*Berkut[/bIf we assume that he starts and ends with the web horizontal, that the web doesn’t stretch, and that the weight of the web is negligible compared to his own weight (that is, he’s a simple pendulum with an amplitude of 90 degrees) then he’ll feel exactly **three gees** I didn’t assume that. He rarely seems to just jump off holding the web. I assumed he jumped off, fell for a bit until he accelerated to a little under 100mph, and then spun the web and swung through the bottom. Does my math work out better that way? ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/18 "2004-06-25T13:09:06Z")
> [@Berkut](#): > > I didn’t assume that. He rarely seems to just jump off holding the web. > > I assumed he jumped off, fell for a bit until he accelerated to a little under 100mph, and then spun the web and swung through the bottom. Does my math work out better that way? How far would he have to fall to reach 100mph? ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/19 "2004-06-25T13:29:08Z")
[According to this](http://hypertextbook.com/facts/JianHuang.shtml) a skydiver can reach up to about 120 mph. But it takes time to get there. If he jumps and slings out the webbing within a second or two his acceleration shouldn’t be that high. ---
**Author:** ![Berkut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/a88e57/32.png) [@Berkut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Berkut)\ **Post date:** [June 25, 2004, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108/20 "2004-06-25T13:45:09Z")
> [@Neurotik](#): > > How far would he have to fall to reach 100mph? Neglecting air resistance, he would fall 335 feet in 4.5 seconds to reach 100mph. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-about-g-forces-and-spidermans-supersphincter/252108.md?page=2)