EARTHQUAKES By: Lauren Showers EDU 290 Tu/Th 11:00am
EARTHQUAKES
By: Lauren Showers
EDU 290 Tu/Th 11:00am
WHAT IS AN EARTHQUAKE?
Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines an
earthquake as a shaking or trembling of the
earth that is volcanic or tectonic in origin.
http://questgarden.com/71/26/9/081013095448/
HOW DO EARTHQUAKES OCCUR?
Earthquakes occur when two blocks of land
suddenly slip past each other along a fault
line(USGS).
The location in which the earthquake starts is
called the Hypocenter. The location directly
above the hypocenter on the earth’s surface
is called the Epicenter (USGS).
HOW DO EARTHQUAKES OCCUR CONT.
jclahr.com
WHERE DO EARTHQUAKES OCCUR
Earthquakes occur along fault lines. There are
three major types of fault lines.
Strike-slip Faults
Normal Faults
Reverse Faults
STRIKE-SLIP FAULTS
Occur along transform boundaries
The two blocks of land move sideways past
each other on a horizontal plane (Plate-
tectonics.org).
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STRIKE-SLIP FAULTS CONT.
Famous strike slip faults include the San
Andreas fault in California and the Alpine
Fault in New Zealand.
Geology.com
NORMAL FAULTS
Occur at divergent plate boundaries.
The rocks on one side of the normal fault
moves downward against the rocks on the
other side (plate-tectonics.org).
REVERSE FAULTS
Reverse faults occur at convergent boundaries.
The rocks on one side of a reverse fault moves
upward. This movement of rocks at reverse faults
often causes earthquakes (plate-tectonics.org).
claremontgeography12.blogspot.co
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HOW ARE EARTHQUAKES MEASURED?
The Richter Scale is used to measure
earthquake magnitude.
On a 1-10 scale. 1 being the smallest, 10
being the largest.
Measured with a device called a
Seismograph.
aggas2nd.blogspot.com
TYPES OF WAVES
There are two types of waves associated
with earthquakes.
P-Waves
S-waves
TYPES OF WAVES CONT.
P-waves- Travel through solid rock and
liquids.
As it spreads out, it alternately pushes
(compresses) and pulls (dilates) the rock
(allshookup.org).
web.ics.purdue.edu
TYPES OF WAVES CONT.
Slower than P-waves
Can only move through solid rock.
As an S wave propagates, it shears the rock
sideways at right angles to the direction of travel
(allshookup.org).
web.ics.purdue.edu
AFTERSHOCKS
Smaller earthquakes that occur after the
main earthquake.
Aftershocks can last for weeks or months
after an earthquake.
The larger the main earthquake, the longer
aftershocks will continue to occur(usgs.gov).
PROTECTING YOURSELF IN AN EARTHQUAKE
“Drop, cover, and hold on!”
Drop down to your knees
Cover your head and neck
Hold on to a sturdy structure
(earthquakecountry.info).
REFERENCES
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/earthquake
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/eqscience.php
http://www.plate-tectonics.org/earthquakes/types-of-
faults.html
http://allshookup.org/quakes/wavetype.htm
http://earthquakecountry.info/dropcoverholdon/