How much Force power can Yoda output?

[lane912]

Yoda


—Ryan Finnie


I’m going to—of course—ignore the prequels.

There’s a great SMBC comic exploring the geopolitical consequences of having Superman turn a crank to provide an unlimited source of energy. We could imagine Yoda using the Force to run a similar generator. But how much power could he really supply?

Yoda’s greatest display of raw power in the original trilogy came when he lifted Luke’s X-Wing from the swamp. As far as physically moving objects around goes, this was easily the biggest expenditure of energy through the Force we saw from anyone in the trilogy.

The energy it takes to lift an object to height h is equal to the object’s mass times the force of gravity times the height it’s lifted. The X-Wing scene lets us use this to put a lower limit on Yoda's peak power output.

First we need to know how heavy the ship was. The X-Wing’s mass has never been canonically established, but its length has—16 meters. An F-22 is 19 meters long and weighs 19,700 lbs, so scaling down from this gives an estimate for the X-Wing of about 12,000 lbs (5 metric tons).

mx=mf22∗(1619)3≈5300kg
Next, we need to know how fast it was rising. I went over footage of the scene and timed the X-Wing's rate of ascent as it was emerging from the water.


The front landing strut rises out of the water in about three and a half seconds, and I estimated the strut to be 1.4 meters long (based on a scene in A New Hope where a crew member squeezes past it), which tells us the X-Wing was rising at 0.39 m/s.

Lastly, we need to know the strength of gravity on Dagobah. Here, I figure I’m stuck, because while sci-fi fans are obsessive, it’s not like there’s gonna be a catalog of minor geophysical characteristics for every planet visited in Star Wars. Right?

Nope. I’ve underestimated the fandom. Wookieepeedia has just such a catalog, and informs us that the surface gravity on Dagobah is 0.9g. Combining this with the X-Wing mass and lift rate gives us our peak power output:

5300kg∗0.9g∗1.4meters3.6seconds=18.3kW
That’s enough to power a block of suburban homes. It’s also equal to about 25 horsepower, which is about the power of the motor in the electric-model Smart Car.


At current electricity prices, Yoda would be worth about $2/hour.

But telekinesis is just one type of Force power. What about that lightning the Emperor used to zap Luke? The physical nature of it is never made clear, but Tesla coils that produce similar displays draw something like 10 kilowatts—which would put the Emperor roughly on par with Yoda. (Those Tesla coils use lots of very short pulses. If the Emperor is sustaining a continuous arc, as in an arc welder, the power could easily be in the megawatts.)

What about Luke? I examined the scene where he used his nascent Force powers to yank his lightsaber out of the snow. The numbers are harder to estimate here, but I went through frame-by-frame and came up with an estimate of 400 watts for his peak output. This is a fraction of Yoda's 18 kW, and was sustained for only a fraction of a second.

So Yoda sounds like our best bet as an energy source. But with world electricity consumption pushing 2 terawatts, it would take a hundred million Yodas to meet our demands. All things considered, switching to Yoda Power probably isn’t worth the trouble—though it would definitely be green.

[Mark Henry]

The power of the force is priceless it is.

[dhoward]

You need to go outside.

[sammyg2]

Han shot first.

[krystar]

well actually that calculation should be wrong.

there's another variable, distance from object. as far as we can understand the universe, we can assume that Yoda's manipulating either a magnetic field or ... much less likley gravitational field. and since both are inverse square of distance from emitter to target, yoda's power output should be significantly higher than that number

[Tervuren]

Yoda said size means nothing. X-wing, star cruiser, planet...

[lane912]

he can effect the higgs wave and use it to alter the mass of a object-
drunk yoda is the life of the party-

[Laneco]

Unfortunately, the super smart people who figure **** like that out don't go outside and play in the mud like the rest of us.

Having helped drag assorted jeeps, trucks, and on one occasion, a damned horse out of the mud, I can assure you that it is MUCH harder to move big heavy objects out of the mud than from flat ground...

So, in short - Yoda is much stronger than the numbers above indicate! Yoda is one awesome little dude.

angela

[krystar]

Originally Posted by Tervuren

Yoda said size means nothing. X-wing, star cruiser, planet...

i think that was just inspirational words. if that were true, the emperor and vader wouldn't need a death star to blow up a planet. :P

[sammyg2]

I don't believe it.


That.... is why you failed.

[GWN7]

It's been awhile since I've watched those movies, but isn't there one where Yoda is fighting some other guy and they are throwing rather large stone collums at each other?

[lane912]

^^^^
episodes I,II and III dont count-

[scottmandue]

This is why I switched over to Batman power!

[aap1966]

Originally Posted by Laneco

Yoda is one awesome little dude.
angela

I believe it's
"Yoda, one awesome little dude, he is"

[masraum]

Originally Posted by GWN7

It's been awhile since I've watched those movies, but isn't there one where Yoda is fighting some other guy and they are throwing rather large stone collums at each other?

If that's the scene that I'm thinking of, it's freakin' awesome. I love when he comes hobbling in with the cane and then stands up straight and uses the force to grab his light saber in a cross draw.

[svandamme]

Those are chit calculations .. seriously.
The power core of an X-wing is bound to be more dense and heavy then what an F22 has. Also, The calc does not include the amount of power required to over come suction as the x-wing sits in the mud,sludge whatever.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Chuck Norris would kick Yoda's ass.

[sammyg2]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Chuck Norris would kick Yoda's ass.

We'll never know, they're on the same side.

[Tervuren]

Originally Posted by lane912

Lastly, we need to know the strength of gravity on Dagobah. Here, I figure I’m stuck, because while sci-fi fans are obsessive, it’s not like there’s gonna be a catalog of minor geophysical characteristics for every planet visited in Star Wars. Right?

Nope. I’ve underestimated the fandom. Wookieepeedia has just such a catalog, and informs us that the surface gravity on Dagobah is 0.9g.

Btw, computer games have to have the force of gravity applied on each level, so all you have to do, is look at the levels for force of gravity. Lucas Arts has guys who make all these details. Its part of why there are so many freakin' fans.