Transcript Earthquakes
Forces Inside Earth
Objectives:
Explain how earthquakes result from the
buildup of three different stresses in Earth’s
crust
Describe normal, reverse, and strike-slip
faults
Causes of Earthquakes
Passing the Elastic Limit Causes Faulting
Applied stresses can cause rocks to bend and
stretch
Eventually rocks will break away from one
another
Area in which the rocks break and move is
called a fault
Vibrations and shaking of the Earth’s crust
is called an earthquake
Earth’s crust movement causes the stresses
applied
Types of Faults
Normal Fault from Tension/Pulling Apart
Earth’s plates move apart
Movement of the plates causes tension
Rocks above the fault surface move
downward in relation to the rocks below the
fault surface
Types of Faults
Reverse Faults from Compression/Squeezing
Compression forces are applied because
Earth’s plates are coming together
Causes rocks to bend and break
Rocks above the fault surface are forced up
and over the rocks below the fault surface
Types of Faults
Strike-slip Fault from Shearing/ sliding or
slipping past
Earth’s plates move sideways to one another
Creates a shear force
Rocks on either side of the fault surface are
moving past each other without much upward
or downward movement
Causes of the Stress Forces
Volcanoes
Collapsing of caverns
Plate Tectonics
Convergent boundary
Divergent boundary
Strike Slip boundary
Earthquake Information
Objectives
Compare and contrast primary,
secondary, and surface waves
Explain how an earthquake epicenter
is located using seismic wave
information
Describe how seismic wave studies
indicate the structure of Earth’s
interior
Types of Seismic Waves
Focus – the point in Earth’s interior where the
energy waves are produced
Epicenter -The point on Earth’s surface
directly above the earthquake focus
Seismic wave - the energy waves that move
outward from the earthquake focus and make
the ground quake
Types of Seismic Waves
Seismic Waves
Primary waves like a slinky
Energy waves that cause rocks to move
back and forth in the same direction
Compression and stretching forces are
created
Secondary waves whipping a rope
Energy waves that cause rocks to move at
right angles to the wave
Types of Seismic Waves
Surface waves like ocean waves
Energy waves that reach the Earth’s
surface
Energy waves that move rocks in an
elliptical motion
Locating an Epicenter
Seismic waves do not travel through
earth’s surface at the same speed
Primary waves are the fastest
Surface waves are the slowest
Seismograph stations
Record the information from the earthquake
by recording the different types of waves as
they reach the station
Locating and Epicenter
Epicenter Location
If information is received from the earthquake
at three stations, then the epicenter can be
located
A circle is drawn around each station on a
map
The radius is equal to the distance from the
station to the epicenter
The point in which all three circles intersect is
the earthquake epicenter
Using Seismic Waves to Map
Earth’s Interior
The speed of the waves changes as the
depth changes
The speed changes in accordance to the
density of the layers of Earth
Using Seismic Waves to Map
Earth’s Interior
Structure of Earth
Inner core
Solid innermost layer and very dense
Composed of mostly nickel and iron
Outer core
Liquid layer that surrounds the inner core
Composed of nickel and iron
Using Seismic Waves to Map
Earth’s Interior
Mantle
Largest layer located above the inner core
Composed of silicon, oxygen, magnesium,
and iron
Crust
Outermost layer
Solid and similar in composition to the
mantle, mainly silicon and oxygen
Using Seismic Waves to Map
Earth’s Interior
Moho Discontinuity
Moho’s Boundary between the crust and the
mantle
Seismic waves speed up as they reach this
area
Seismic waves speed up as they reach more
dense areas and slow down when the reach less
dense areas
The more solid the layer the more dense
Using Seismic Waves to Map
Earth’s Interior
Shadow zone
The area between 105-140 degrees from the
epicenter
Area in which seismic waves can’t be
detected
What is the cause?
Secondary waves can’t be transmitted
through liquid layers
Primary waves are slowed and deflected by
the outer core and speed up again when
the reach the solid inner core
Destruction by Earthquakes
Objectives
Define magnitude and Richter scale
List ways to make your classroom and home
more earthquake safe
Measuring Earthquakes
Seismology
Seismologists - People who study
earthquakes and seismic waves
Use instruments called seismographs
Record seismic waves
A drum with a sheet of paper vibrates and a
stationary pen marks the vibrations on the
paper
The height of the lines are used to measure
the energy released from the earthquake
called the magnitude
Measuring Earthquakes
Earthquake Magnitude
Usually determines the strength of the break
Doesn’t determine the duration or the size
For each increase of 1is 10 times stronger
An earthquake of 4 is 10 times stronger than an
earthquake of 3
Tsunamis
Caused by the movement of the ocean floor
Causes a disruption in the water
Some are so wide that a large ship can travel
over the wave without knowing
Recent earthquake in the Indian Ocean
created a tsunamis that was 100 feet high and
moving at 500 mph
Earthquake Safety
Quake proofing your home
Place heavy objects near the floor
Fix gas appliances in place
9.4 Living on a Fault
Objectives
Recognize that most loss of life in an
earthquake is caused by the destruction of
human-made structures
Consider who should pay for making
structures seismic safe
Who should pay for earthquake
preparation?
Seismic safe structures
Structures that are resistant to the vibrations
of Earth’s crust
Structures are made with moorings
Made of steel and are filled with alternating
layers of rubber and steel
These structures absorb the energy
produced from the earthquake
What is an Earthquake Short
Video
http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/videos/earth/
whatisanearthquake.html
Earthquake Long Video
http://video.pbs.org/video/1690329036/