Questions for the superheroes experts

[alma]

I have two questions about a super power. It is the one of super-speed.

"The more energy that goes into a system, the more active its molecules are. The faster molecules move, the more heat or thermal energy they create. So, the amount of heat a substance has is determined by how fast its molecules are moving, which in turn depends on how much energy is put into it."

So...
1. Does a super hero with super-speed needs insane amounts of food or high calorie meals to be able to produce the energy he needs?
2. How can a super heroes can be super fast (like Flash) without becoming so hot that can generate a fire or even cook himself up?

[Cognitive Gear]

I have a question about a super power. It is the one of super-speed.
"The faster molecules move, the more heat or thermal energy they create."
So...
How can a super heroe can be super fast (like Flash) without becoming so hot that can generate a fire or even cook himself up?

The general rule of superpowers is that the one who possesses the superpower is also immune to any negative effects it would have on a normal human body.

So if a hero's sole superpower is super strength, they don't break their own bones while catching a freight train.

[rocklobster]

Yeah, that's it. That's why Iceman can step inside a refrigerator without having to worry about losing body heat.

[alma]

Sorry guys for the double Thread.
The second Thread it is the one I meant to post.
I had problems with my internet conection and did not know that I just put out this Thread.
My bad.
Sorry. Is there a way to merge this with the other thread?

Thanks rocklobster and Cognitive Gear for your answers.

[Seto_Sora]

you might want to follow a few stories, meybe like just their genesis stories and you might get some ideas. I think, at least in one of his movies, flash had to eat alot of food. the thing is, it's always up to the writer. He/she can limit or break the rules as he/she sees fit. We are talking a super after all, who by very definition breaks the rules.

[K. Ayato]

Then there was the Gargoyles episode of the werefox. They explained that creature had an incredibly high metabolism and needed to consume large amounts of food or die.

[Dante]

I have two questions about a super power. It is the one of super-speed.

"The more energy that goes into a system, the more active its molecules are. The faster molecules move, the more heat or thermal energy they create. So, the amount of heat a substance has is determined by how fast its molecules are moving, which in turn depends on how much energy is put into it."

So...
1. Does a super hero with super-speed needs insane amounts of food or high calorie meals to be able to produce the energy he needs?
2. How can a super heroes can be super fast (like Flash) without becoming so hot that can generate a fire or even cook himself up?

1. No. Have you ever seen a super-hero use the bathroom? I think not. I certainly haven't. You see. I've thought about this and it's become obvious to me that they actually have a matter-anti-matter engine in their stomach, converting it to raw energy. With that type of tummy, a single hamburger would be enough to wipe out all of metropolis.

2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superfluid

This - I think that in reality, these super-heroes are actually made of a quantum solid version of this lovely stuff. As you can read, it doesn't experience friction - and hence doesn't gain heat (and with infinite thermal conductivity, all the heat ends up popping out right behind him). Of course, if this doesn't suffice, we could just say that on his spare time, Chuck Norris let's the Flash use him as a human shield while running.

-sources: Several years of being a science-munchkin in N&S. Anything is plausible if you throw enough pseudo-science at it.

[seaglass27]

I have two questions about a super power. It is the one of super-speed.

"The more energy that goes into a system, the more active its molecules are. The faster molecules move, the more heat or thermal energy they create. So, the amount of heat a substance has is determined by how fast its molecules are moving, which in turn depends on how much energy is put into it."

So...
1. Does a super hero with super-speed needs insane amounts of food or high calorie meals to be able to produce the energy he needs?
2. How can a super heroes can be super fast (like Flash) without becoming so hot that can generate a fire or even cook himself up?

About #1, Flash gorges himself constantly to refuel his body.

About #2, that's funny because Flash often uses his speed to heat things up, melt walls, etc. It would make sense that if the heat of friction was great enough to melt a wall it would also melt Flash, but yeah, it's just an example of comic artists playing fast and loose with physics. Don't try this at home, kids.

[mechana2015]

They actually talked about this a little in some series. Some of the super speedsters were shown to be super eaters (usually for the sake of comedy, sort of like in the Thor movies) and one of the Flashes was actually killed when they ran too fast (saving the world). They then decided to fix the problem with fatal speed by allowing the next flash (and all related heroes after and retroactively before, I think) to tap into something called the 'Speed Force', which essentially rendered them immune to silly things like thermodynamics, friction and wind resistance, all the way up to near LIGHT SPEED.

[seaglass27]

They actually talked about this a little in some series. Some of the super speedsters were shown to be super eaters

Ninja'd. ^^

[mechana2015]

Only because I was backchecking the history of the speed force...

I COULD fix that for myself though. *evil laugh*

[seaglass27]

Heh. My nemesis, you win this time... but I'll be back!

[Psycho Molos]

all of this plus since a power like super speed also involves changes to how that person controls their own body...now what I said sounds quite derpy obvious, it just means that like Flash could vibrate through walls and stuff right? It's because the super speed also gives him the power to control the vibrations of his body at the molecular level so he could move so quick he'd pass in between the molecules of the wall or barrier. This same ability is also how he gets away with ignoring wind resistance and friction and such. It's quite understandable that if one goes from zero to "that fast" in nothing flat that there's absolutely nothing there to provide friction against combustibles setting them on fire.

[alma]

Thanks you guys for your answers and comments. I understand better, and I think I should get to read some comics and do as a friend told me: "enjoy the stories."
The sooner the better