Volcano Movie Science

Question

Discuss at least five different instances where the film’s script used science as a plot point in the film Volcano.

Answer 1

Volcano uses realistic as well as over-exaggerated versions of science to bolster its plot. There are many inconsistencies and stretches of the truth that make the movie more fun and interesting as well.

1- When hot gas spews in the subway tunnels and kills some workmen, very hot and concentrated sulfuric gas could have such an effect and would be emitted by a volcano on the verge of exploding

2- Lava burns everything in its path as it flows down Wilshire Blvd. This would happen if lava flowed through a city.

3-When firefighters blast the lava with water, it creates a crust. This would occur with enough water at a strong enough speed. It's unclear if a firehose could achieve that.

4- An earthquake at the beginning of the movie ultimately results in a volcanic eruption below Los Angeles. This makes some conceivable sense in terms of an earthquake causing shifts below tectonic plates and making unexpected gravitational events occur, but more than likely that would be a tsunami rather than a volcanic eruption.

5- When the volcano's lava hits the end of the subway it erupts through the ground in a geyser. This makes some scientific sense due to how heat rises and the velocity at which the lava was flowing and how close the subway was to the street level.