SRCS 14/15

Name _____________________________________
Due Date_______________
Science 6/7
Ch. 7 Earthquake Webquest
Click on the links to help you answer the questions in each section.
Answers need to be in complete sentences when appropriate.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/features/04/forcesofnature/interactive/index.htl?section=e
Click and read pages 1-7 to help you answer the following questions. Questions are broken down by page.
What is an Earthquake? (page 1)
1. How do earthquakes happen?
2. How many earthquakes occur every day? Why are the majority of these earthquakes never noticed?
3. How many per year worldwide?
4. How often do severe earthquakes occur that cause widespread destruction?
5. When and where did the worst earthquake ever occur?
6. How many estimated deaths were recorded?
Where do Earthquakes Occur? (page 2)
1. Where do earthquakes occur?
2. What are major (tectonic) plates?
3. What are faults?
4. What are intraplate quakes?
5. Where and when have intraplate quakes happened?
6. Approximately what percentage of earthquakes happen along the Ring of Fire?

What Causes Earthquakes? (page 3)

1. What causes earthquakes?
2. Where is the San Andreas fault?
3. What type of plate boundary is it?
4. How long and how deep is it?
Types of Faults (page 4)
1. Describe a Normal fault

2. Describe a strike-slip fault.

Measurement and Recording (page 5)

1. What is the hypocenter (also known as the focus) of an earthquake?

2. How is the epicenter different?

3. What are p-waves also called?

4. What are s-waves also called?
5. Describe the difference between p waves, s waves and surface waves

6. Which waves are the fastest?

7. Which waves are the slowest?
8. What waves are most destructive?
9. What instrument measures earthquake waves?
10. What does the Richter scale measure?
11. Can earthquakes be prevented?
12. What 3 tools may enable scientists to better predict earthquakes in the future?

Locate an Earthquake (page 6)

1. How many recording stations does it take to pinpoint an earthquake epicenter?
Trigger the earthquake and then click each triangle as directed. Find the epicenter.
2. The farther from the epicenter what happens to the size of the circle?

3. List the details of your quake.

Trigger an Earthquake (page 7)

1. Trigger each type of earthquake and note the differences.
Ground Type

Magnitude

Bedrock

Low

Bedrock

High

Fault Zone

Low

Fault Zone

High

Landfill

Low

Landfill

High

Observations

(building and waves bottom of screen)

2. What is landfill made of?

3. On what type of ground would you want to build a home?
4. Many suburban areas are constructed on landfill. Why is this a dangerous practice in areas prone to
earthquakes?

Case Studies
Click on the Case Studies tab. Pick one of the tabs (1-6) to learn more about a particular earthquake. Answer
the questions below on the one you chose.
1. City/ Country:
Date:
Magnitude:
2. Write three facts/ things you learned about this earthquake.
A.
B.
C.

Dead:

Earthquake Myths
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/topics.php?topicID=36&topic=Myths
1. Pick two of the myths listed on the USGS Earthquake Myths page linked above. Which two did you choose?
2. Why did you choose these two?
3. What are the correct answers to the two myths from #1?

Earthquake Terminology
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/glossary/
1. Use the USGS Glossary to define the following terms:
a. Seismograph:
b. Seismogram:
c. Epicenter:
d. Hypocenter (focus):
You choose.
e. word:
definition:

Preparing for Earthquakes

http://www.usgs.gov/faq/?q=taxonomy/term/9834
Use the link above to search the webpage for the answers to the following questions.
1. Answer the following questions.
a. Three things you should do during an earthquake.
b. Three things you should NOT do during an earthquake.
c. Three things you do after an earthquake.
d. Three things you need for emergency supplies.

Earthquake History
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/today/
1. Look up todays date. What happened on this day in Earthquake History?
Todays Date:
Name:

Country:

Year:

(example M6.4)

Fact:

2. Look up your birthday. Summarize what happened in Earthquake History on your birthday (even if it
wasnt the same year).
Birthday:
Name:

Country:

Year:

(example M6.4)

Fact:

Types of Waves
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/savageearth/animations/index.html
Scroll down and click the three types of wave animation, then describe what you see. Record what happens to
the items on the land and how the wave moves.
1. Types of waves
A. primary wave-

B. secondary wave-

C. surface wave-

Earthquake Trivia
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/facts.php
Go to the link above and search the answers to the following trivia questions.
1. What is the largest recorded earthquake in the world?
2. What is the largest recorded earthquake in the United States?
3. Which state is the most earthquake prone?
4. How many earthquakes does southern California have each year?
5. What fault is responsible for creating earthquakes in the central U.S.?
6. Which states from 1975-1995 did not have any earthquakes?

7. Moonquakes (earthquakes on the moon) do or do not occur.

8. Which two states have the least number of earthquakes?
9. The earliest recorded evidence of an earthquake has been traced back to 1831 BC in what country?
10. Can we hear earthquakes? Why or why not?

Ohio Earthquakes
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/ohio/history.php
1. Describe the earthquake that occurred on June 20, 1952.

http://geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/portals/geosurvey/PDFs/OhioSeis/epicentr.pdf
1. What year did an earthquake originate in Perry County?

http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/ohio/hazards.php
1. What county has the highest seismic hazard level in Ohio?
2. What seismic hazard level color is Perry County?

http://geosurvey.ohiodnr.gov/portals/geosurvey/PDFs/Education/el09.pdf
Go to page four with the map of faults in Ohio.
1. Compare this map to the one in the last section. Why do you think your answer to number one in the last
section has a higher risk of earthquakes than Perry County?

Bridge Building Challenge

http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/bridgetoclassroom/engineeringfor.html
Read about Quake County, types of bridges, and safety features. Then, design and test your bridge to see if it
can survive a 9.0 earthquake.
1. Write one fact about the following bridge types.
a. Beam girderb. Steel archc. Cantilever- Trussd. Suspensione. Cable-Stay2. What are the four seismic safety features that you can add to your bridge?

Play and test out the bridge building section. You can use different types of bridges and multiple safety features.
When you are happy with your bridge design draw it below, then test it on the simulation and record the
information in the chart.
3. Model:
Draw a model of the bridge you will test.
Segment

Bridge
Design

Added
Safety
Features
4. Test your Bridge.
Earthquake Simulation Data:
Fault
Magnitude
San Andreas

5.0

San Andreas

7.5

San Andreas

9.0

Results

(Survive or Collapse?) Describe the damage.