A Guide to Cartoon Physics

A Guide to Cartoon Physics

You’ve seen cartoons, like Looney Tunes and "Tom and Jerry." But something you may have noticed about them is that normal, everyday physics sometimes don't apply to the characters! However, this guide will give you insight into (almost) every form of cartoon physics that have become iconic in cartoon history.

Cartoon Physics Rule Number 1: The Lightbulb Over the Head

This cartoon physics rule is a very important one. When a character in a cartoon gets an idea, it’s usually exclaimed with a lightbulb drawn over their head. The brighter the lightbulb is, the smarter the idea. For example, imagine two characters. Both have lightbulbs over their heads, as each had an idea strike them. However, one person’s lightbulb is extremely bright, while the other’s lightbulb is very dim. That might signify that the person who has the brighter bulb has a smarter idea than the person with a dimmer bulb.

Cartoon Physics Rule Number 2: The Cliff

This is a scene that might be familiar to those who have watched cartoons featuring Wile E. Coyote. The basic rule of this one is that if a cartoon person were to run straight over a cliff, they are not to fall until they look down. If they do, then the cliff’s height will be greatly exaggerated as they fall. And as they hit the bottom, one might think that they probably met their maker. However, they will sometimes appear in the next scene, without a scratch on their body, which would bring us to our next rule:

Cartoon Physics Rule Number 3: Severe Injuries

Many cartoons contain multiple scenes of slapstick humor. However, the character seems to be unscathed in the next scene, despite experiencing such a tremendous amount of damage, like a bomb exploding in their face or falling 1,000 miles to the bottom of a cliff. The rule applied here is that if a character were to be in an experience that would usually result in death or a severe injury, the character would seem to have a full recovery in the next scene, unless it is shown that the character DOES have an injury, usually signified by things that one would have when severely injured, like a cast and crutches for a broken leg.

Cartoon Physics Rule Number 4: The Painted Tunnel

Another iconic scene in the history of cartoons, if a character were to paint a tunnel with a brush and paint (preferably the color black or another dark color), they are to be capable of slipping through it as if the tunnel suddenly became real. However, if that character is pursued by an enemy that saw them paint the tunnel and then go through, that enemy will not be capable of entering, as to them, it will suddenly become a wall with a tunnel painted onto it again.

Cartoon Physics Rule 5: A.C.M.E. Corporations

A relatively simple one without much explanation, if a character were to buy something, especially if that item they bought were to be shipped in a wooden crate, that product would come from the A.C.M.E. corporations, no matter what that item might be.

Cartoon Physics Rule 6: The Rake

Another simple cartoon physics without much explanation, if a rake were to appear in a scene, a character (preferably an enemy) must step onto the rake in a way that will make the rake’s handle swing up and hit them on the face.

Cartoon Physics Rule 7: Facial Expressions

This rule applies to almost every character in a cartoon. If a character were to have a certain feeling (example: happiness, shock, sadness, anger) that feeling would be to shown far more exaggerated than it actually is (example: a crying person would have a mini waterfall running down their face and would form a mini lake at their feet, with a mini boat sailing across it, or an angry person would have a mini volcano form on their head, which would erupt violently, depending on how angry they are.)

Cartoon Physics Rule 8: Banana Peels

A simple one involving a certain fruit with a high concentration of potassium. If a character were to drop a banana peel on the floor, then another character (or the same character) would slip and fall to the floor upon stepping onto the peel.

Cartoon Physics Rule 9: The Pin

If a character were to be poked by a sharp object (example: a needle, a pin, glass, etc) usually in the buttocks, the character getting poked will defy gravity and leap into the air far higher than they’re supposed to be in the real world. However, if this situation occurs in a room with a roof, then that character will sometimes leap through the roof, usually indicated by a scrunching sound followed by crumbled pieces of drywall falling from the ceiling, as well as a hole shaped like that person defying gravity.

Cartoon Physics Rule 10: Dynamite

An slight exception to rule 3, if a stick of dynamite or a bomb were to explode in a character’s face, they will be shown with what appears to be a lot of damage, as they will be depicted with a blackened body covered in soot, burnt hair (IF they have hair), and often, broken teeth. But, following rule 3, they will be shown perfectly fine in the next scene.

Written By Mason Oh

Edited By Rylee Higashi

Art By Mason Oh