MQ_Dante's Peak
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EES 0836
Dante’s Peak Movie Questions
Disasters: Geology vs. Hollywood
Introduction
A volcanologist arrives at a countryside town recently named the second most desirable place to live in
America, and discovers that the long dormant volcano, Dante's Peak, may wake up at any moment.
-
imdb.com
Learning Objectives
●
Critically assess the portrayal of science, forecasting, and eruptive behavior of Dante’s Peak in
the movie Dante’s Peak (1997).
(4, b)
Part 1:
Watch the movie
As you are watching the video clips, look for the answers to the following questions.
1.
In the opening scene of Dante’s Peak, Harry and his girlfriend are trying to escape during a
volcanic eruption. Visibility is poor because of falling volcanic ash. Do volcanoes really produce
ash? How can rocks burn/melt?
Volcanoes do indeed produce ash; volcanic ash consists of small particles of rock, minerals, and glass that
form when magma—which can be created when rock reaches extremely high temperatures and then melts
—is powerfully shot out of volcanoes during an eruption and then rapidly cooled while traveling through
the air.
2.
What volcanic hazard kills Harry’s girlfriend?
The volcanic hazard that kills Harry’s girlfriend is a falling chunk of volcanic debris—likely cooled lava.
3.
When Harry, the mayor, and her kids visit Grandma’s cabin, there is foreshadowing of disaster.
List at least four signs (precursors) that Dante’s Peak is about to awaken.
Four signs that Dante’s Peak is about to awaken are the deadly boiling water in the springs, the low pH of
the water on the mountain, the cluster of dead trees, and the dead squirrels covering the mountain.
4.
Describe anything you saw in these clips that you think might be scientifically questionable.
I am not totally sure, but I believe the rapid increase in temperature for the hot spring’s water, going from
a little too hot for comfort to boiling so hot that it kills two people, is not how a hot spring would typically
increase in temperature leading up to a volcanic eruption. Instead, it would make more sense for the hot
spring to gradually increase in temperature as magma in the earth moves slowly upwards and the volcano
becomes closer and closer to eruption.
5.
Explain Harry’s “proof” that Dante’s Peak is a “ticking time bomb?”
EES 0836
Harry’s proof that Dante’s Peak is a ticking time bomb is the discovery that there is an immense amount
of sulfur dioxide in the town’s water supply, which is exactly what was found in a volcano in the
Philippines right before that volcano erupted.
6.
What caused the helicopter crash?
The helicopter crash is caused by the presence of volcanic ash, which hindered visibility and caused
immense damage to the engine, causing the engine to die while the helicopter was in mid-air.
7.
The film shows our hero et al. riding a boat that is rapidly dissolving in a lake made acidic by the
volcano. What part do you think is real, and where has Hollywood exaggerated to create drama?
The part that is real is the fact that the lake can be made acidic by the volcano, due to things like sulfur
dioxide contaminating the water. However, Hollywood exaggerated the rate at which an acidic lake could
dissolve a boat; doing this is simply done to make the story more thrilling.
8.
Harry dramatically drives through a lava flow. Do you think this is possible? Provide a couple
sentences to explain your reasoning.
I do not think it is possible to drive through a lava flow. The extremely high heat from the lava would
immediately melt/roast anything that touches it—especially a car, which could never withstand such
temperatures. If someone were to really drive through a lava flow, the car would immediately catch fire,
melt, and explode.
9.
In the end, did the order of volcanic hazards make sense? Does something not add up? What, if
anything, is out of place?
Most of the volcanic hazards are based in reality. However, I think the main thing that does not add up is
the speed at which everything happens—the hot springs going from safe to deadly, the lakes becoming
acidic enough to instantly dissolve whatever touches them, the speed at which the lava flows, etc.
However, things like this can make sense given how they serve to make the movie as exciting as possible.
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