Is there now a citation for "D&D is not a physics simulation"?

Question

The rules often lead to outcomes that differ from what one would expect from real-world physics, and answers here sometimes make the point that "D&D is not a physics simulation/simulator", that instead it is a game that has rules optimized for a fun and engaging gameplay experience. But is that claim supported by actual text we can refer to?

We had this same question for the original 5e ruleset. Back then, there was no outright citation in the 5e rules supporting this claim (although we had some fantastic answers, some based on 1e).

Is there a citation for it in the new 5e rules?

Answer 1

Yes, there is such a citation now

We now have a fully official statement on it for 2024 5e (from the free rules, and the corresponding section of the 2024 DMG). It even makes reference to the infamous Peasant Railgun as an example:

Rules Aren’t Physics. The rules of the game are meant to provide a fun game experience, not to describe the laws of physics in the worlds of D&D, let alone the real world. Don’t let players argue that a bucket brigade of ordinary people can accelerate a spear to light speed by all using the Ready action to pass the spear to the next person in line. The Ready action facilitates heroic action; it doesn’t define the physical limitations of what can happen in a 6-second combat round.