Question

the core: movie

1. where does dr. keys work?
2. what does an oscilloscope measure?
3. what did all the victims have in common?
4. what does josh (dr. keys) think might be the cause behind the anomalies?
5. what is causing the aurora borealis (pretty lights in the sky)?
6. what is wrapped around the earth?
7. what will the microwave discard do to the earth?
8. what is the name of the special material used by brazzleton in his ship?
9. what does maj. childs call the crew?
10. what’s a tiny nudge in planetary terms?
11. where does dr. zimsky decide the ship should enter the earth?
12. what is the ship named?
13. why did dr. zimsky choose the underwater location for launch?
14. what’s the temperature of the mantle?
15. what did they find the beginning of day 2?
16. how many hours did it take to reach the core interface?
17. what is project destiny?
18. how far down is the inner core?
19. what is the temperature of the crawl space?
20. how does josh power the ship to get back to the surface?

extra credit: create a list of good and \bad\ science stuff... http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/movies/thecore_review... jknox/2005 science movie worksheets – http://www.newyorkscience... viesheets.com

Answer:

To answer these questions, you need to recall details from the movie The Core:

Question 1: Where does Dr. Keys work?

Dr. Keys (Josh) works at the Los Angeles Observatory (or a similar research facility focused on geophysics/astronomy).

Question 2: What does an oscilloscope measure?

An oscilloscope measures electrical signals (voltage over time, e.g., frequency, amplitude, waveform of electrical currents).

Question 3: What did all the victims have in common?

All victims were in locations with strong electromagnetic fields (e.g., near power grids, electronics) when the Earth’s magnetic field anomalies affected them.

Question 4: What does Josh (Dr. Keys) think might be the cause behind the anomalies?

Josh suspects the Earth’s core has stopped rotating, disrupting the magnetic field.

Question 5: What is causing the Aurora Borealis (pretty lights in the sky)?

The Aurora Borealis is caused by solar wind particles interacting with Earth’s magnetic field—in the movie, the disrupted core amplifies this effect.

Question 6: What is wrapped around the earth?

The magnetic field (magnetosphere) is “wrapped” around Earth, protecting it from solar radiation.

Question 7: What will the microwave discard do to the earth?

Microwave (EM) radiation from the disrupted core could cook Earth’s surface (heat the planet to lethal temperatures).

Question 8: What is the name of the special material used by Brazzleton in his ship?

The ship uses Unobtanium (a fictional super-strong, heat-resistant material).

Question 9: What does Maj. Childs call the crew?

Maj. Childs calls the crew the “Terrestrial Avengers” (or a similar heroic nickname).

Question 10: What’s a tiny nudge in planetary terms?

A “tiny nudge” (e.g., from a nuclear explosion) could restart the core’s rotation (planetary-scale force adjustment).

Question 11: Where does Dr. Zimsky decide the ship should enter the earth?

Dr. Zimsky chooses the Mariana Trench (deepest ocean trench, thinnest crust) for entry.

Question 12: What is the ship named?

The ship is named “Virgil” (after the poet, or for its mission to “descend” like Virgil in Dante’s Inferno).

Question 13: Why did Dr. Zimsky choose the underwater location for launch?

The Mariana Trench has the thinnest Earth’s crust, making it easier to penetrate into the mantle.

Question 14: What’s the temperature of the mantle?

The mantle’s temperature is around 4,000–6,000°C (or ~7,000–10,000°F) in the movie’s context.

Question 15: What did they find the beginning of day 2?

On day 2, they found diamonds (formed under extreme mantle pressure).

Question 16: How many hours did it take to reach the core interface?

It took 25 hours to reach the core-mantle boundary (core interface).

Question 17: What is project destiny?

Project Destiny was a failed attempt to drill to the core (or a precursor mission to study the core).

Question 18: How far down is the inner core?

The inner core is about 3,000 kilometers (1,864 miles) below the surface.

Question 19: What is the temperature of the crawl space?

The crawl space (near the core) has a temperature of 11,000°F (or ~6,000°C, similar to the sun’s surface).

Question 20: How does Josh power the ship to get back to the surface?

Josh uses the ship’s nuclear reactor (or a controlled nuclear explosion) to generate thrust and escape.

For the extra credit, analyze the movie’s science:

• Good Science: The core’s role in the magnetic field, mantle convection, diamond formation.
• Bad Science: Unobtanium’s realism, core “stopping” (the core’s solid inner core spins independently, and stopping it is physically impossible), and the ship surviving core temperatures.

To verify, rewatch The Core or consult movie summaries/analysis (e.g., the linked “Bad Astronomy” review).