Eastern Star Academy, Inc.

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

Student’s Name: __________________________________________________

Grade Level: Grade 8 Learning Modality: Modular Distance Learning
Subject: Science 8 Subject Teacher: Peter D. Cloma Jr., LPT

GENERAL INSTRUCTION:
Please read carefully. You may jot down notes or use highlighter in reading the information
sheets to assure retention and comprehension. DO NOT SUBMIT the INFORMATION
SHEETS. The activity sheets will be submitted according to the given schedule. PLEASE
WRITE LEGIBLY. Always write your name and other essential data upon submission.
PLEASE follow the prescribed schedule to avoid incomplete outputs and cramming in the
process. DO NOT CHEAT. Disciplinary actions will be taken if caught and proven. Enjoy
learning.

Lesson Earthquakes and Faults

#1

If you can recall in Science 7, it was mentioned that the Philippines is situated along
the Pacific Ring of Fire. How does this affect us? People who live along the Ring of
Fire must anticipate the occurrence of earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Can you locate the Philippines on the globe? There are two ways by which you can
describe the location of a certain place on the globe. One is by determining its
latitude and longitude. The other is by identifying the landmasses and bodies of
water in the surrounding area.

In this module, you will understand how the movements of faults generate
earthquakes. Strong earthquakes have caused countless deaths all over the world,
even before people have started recording these events. These are unpredictable
forces of nature. They happen in no specific time and place. Up to this day,
seismologists are still figuring out how to detect seismic tremors accurately.

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No one can stop earthquakes from happening. But there are things that people can
do to avoid or decrease the loss of life and damage to property. The first step is to
have a clear understanding of the occurrence of earthquakes.

An earthquake is brought about by an abrupt slip on a fault, much like what

happens when you snap your fingers. Going before the snap, you push your fingers
together and sideways. Since you are pushing them together, friction keeps them
from moving to the side. At the point when you push sideways hard enough to
overcome this friction, your fingers move unexpectedly, discharging energy in a form
of sound waves that set the air vibrating and travel from your hand to your ear,
where you hear the snap.

The same process goes on in an earthquake. Stress in the outer layer of the
Earth pushes the sides of the fault together. The grinding over the surface of the fault
holds the rocks together so they do not slip promptly when pushed sideways. In the
long run, enough pressure develops, and the rocks slip suddenly releasing energy in
waves that make a travel through the rocks to cause the shaking that we feel during
an earthquake.

Earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from the sudden
release of energy in the Earth’s lithosphere. The energy will eventually be released
once the fault overcomes the friction movement.
Faults are thin zones of crushed blocks of rocks. These are often in centimeters to
thousands of kilometers long. Their surfaces can be vertical or horizontal. These can
expand into the earth and might possibly reach out up to the earth's surface. These
are also breaking in the Earth's crust where rocks on either side of the crack have
slid past each other. There are three kinds of faults: strike-slip, normal, and thrust
(reverse) faults. Each type is the outcome of different forces pushing or pulling on
the crust, causing rocks to slide up, down or past each other. The amount of ground
displacement in an earthquake is called the slip.
Strike-slip faults are rocks sliding past one another on a horizontal plane, with little to
no vertical movement. Examples to these are the San Andreas Fault and the
Anatolian Fault.

Normal faults are two blocks of crust layer pulling apart, extending the crust
into a valley thus, creating a space. A normal fault has the upper side or hanging
wall appears to have moved downward with respect to the footwall. The Basin and
Range Province in North America and the East African Rift Zone are two notable
districts where normal fault is spreading apart Earth's crust.

Reverse faults are also known as thrust faults, the slide one block of crust on
top of another. These faults are normally found in collision zones where tectonic
plates push up mountain ranges, for example, the Himalayas and Rocky Mountains.

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Activity 1 – Where’s the Fault? Observe carefully the figures below. Describe briefly and
answer concisely the following questions. Write your answer in the box provided

Figure 1. A is the starting point. Land is represented by a box. The two parallel lines are there
so that it is clear for you to observe the events. Figure 1 B, C, and D shows how a crack
forms in the box.

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San Andreas Fault This picture shows the San Andreas Fault in California. Francois ohier/Photo Researchers,
Inc. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. A fault is a break in
the Earth’s crust, and along the break, significant movement has taken place. Let us go through the definition in
more detail. The word “break” refers to a crack in the ground. The word “crust” refers to the outermost layer of
the Earth. We live on the surface of the crust. “Significant movement” means that the rocks have been displaced
or shifted considerably.

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Earthquakes are vibrations or tremors produced within the earth’s outer layer or
crust. An earthquake is tectonic. It occurs when parts of the earth’s crust break and
also the rocks together with a fault slide near each other or far away from each other.
This is often this can be often called faulting. An earthquake could also be volcanic.
Tremors are often produced to signal an upcoming discharge during this vicinity or
region. The pressure makes the rocks move which formed an opening called the
focus. It is the place where the earthquake originates. The earth’s surface directly
above the most focus of an earthquake has a point or line on which is called an
epicenter. The study of earthquakes is termed seismology. Scientists or experts
during this field are called seismologists. There are two major scales during which
earthquakes are measured. The magnitude of a particular earthquake is also one
number that does not vary from place to position. Magnitude is that the entire energy
released by an earthquake at its focus. Earthquakes of giant magnitude are stronger
and typically more destructive than those of small magnitude. 

The Richter Scale measures earthquake magnitude. The intensity of an earthquake

is measured in terms of its geological effects and so the general damage it brings.
Away from the epicenter, the intensity of an earthquake becomes weaker. The scale
measures the intensity of shaking. The Intensity and the magnitudes' measurement
are always corresponding to each other. An earthquake may be described in two
ways: intensity and magnitude. The intensity of an earthquake gives us an idea of
how strong or weak the shaking is. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (PHIVOLCS) uses the following scale to describe the intensity of
earthquakes in the Philippines.

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Table 1. PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS) However accompanying any faults,
the consequences may be exciting. Assume a residence was constructed on a fault. As the
spot displaces slowly by slowly, portions of the residence will be stirred. The ground will
fracture, openings will not shut, and the roof may begin to drip. It is essential to perceive the
spot of active faults. As considerably as likely, no significant constructions should be
constructed near or on them. PHIVOLCS has a diagram that displays the active faults in the
Philippines. An active fault is one that has moved in the past and is suspected to move again.
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Set differently, an active fault has produced earthquakes already and is able of producing
further in the eventuality.

Experts adopt various techniques to uncover out if a fault is active. One is by

reviewing the countries past recordings. Archaeologists periodically record about
disruptive incidents such as earthquakes. Another is by analysing the oscillations,
former and today that come from faults. Nevertheless different method is by
inspecting the surroundings. For example, a fault may meet a path and because of
that, the road is displaced. Either a fault may cast over a river or the river current is
then changed. Or a fault may slice through mountains and form cliffs. This is not to
say that anyone can spot an active fault.

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 ACTIVITY SHEETS
Name: __________________________ Topic: __________________________
Subject: _________________________ Grade Level: ____________________

The Philippines is located in an area known as Pacific Ring of Fire.This area around the
edges of the Pacific Ocean where intense volcanic and regularly experience earthquakes,
which are brough about the presence of active faults in the area. 
 

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 Earthquake’s Epicenter and Magnitude
Lesson
#2

Focus and Epicenter

A fault is a weak point in the tectonic plate where the pressure

inside the crust is released. The area inside the Earth where an
earthquake starts is known as the focal point of the quake or the
focus. It is centered on the portion of the fault that has the greatest
movement. The point at the Earth's surface directly above the focus is
known as the epicenter of the quake. During an earthquake, the
strongest shaking occurs at the epicenter. Sometimes, the ground
surface breaks along the fault as shown in Figure 3. There are also
times the movement is deep underground and the surface does not
break. Scientists often name an earthquake after the region that is
closest to its epicenter. Generally, if two earthquakes of equal strength
originate from the same epicenter, the one with the shallower focus
causes more destruction. Seismic waves from a deep-focus
earthquake lose more of their energy as they travel farther up to
surface.

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Magnitude and Intensity
The earthquake’s magnitude and intensity have different
characteristics. Magnitude measures the energy being released from
the origin of the earthquake. It is measured by an instrument called
seismograph. The Richter Magnitude Scale measures the quantity of
seismic energy released by an earthquake. Intensity is the strength of
the trembling made by the earthquake at a place. The intensity of an
earthquake varies relying on where you are and is determined by the
Mercalli Scale.

Active and Inactive Faults

Active faults are areas along in which displacement is expected
to occur. Since a shallow earthquake produces displacement across a
fault, all shallow earthquakes occur on active faults. These are
considered to be geologic hazards. Inactive faults are areas that can
be identified, but which do not have earthquakes.

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 ACTIVITY SHEETS
Name: __________________________ Topic: __________________________
Subject: _________________________ Grade Level: ____________________
Activity 1. Let’s Scale It
Directions: Study the table below about the Richter Magnitude
and answer the following questions. Write your
answers on a separate sheet of paper.
Table 1. Magnitude Scale of an Earthquake
Magnitude Description Effects of Earthquakes
< 2.0 micro micro earthquakes, not felt
2.0 - 2.9 minor generally not felt, but recorded
3.0 - 3.9 minor often felt, but rarely causes damage
light, noticeable shaking of indoor things, shaking
4.0 - 4.9 light clamors
significant damage is unlikely
cause serious harm to ineffectively developed structures
5.0 - 5.9 moderate over small regions
at most slight damage to well-designed
buildings
damaging in areas up to 160 kilometers (100 mi)
6.0 - 6.9 strong across in populated areas
7.0 - 7.9 major cause major damage over larger areas
cause serious damage in places several
8.0 - 8.9 great
hundred miles across
devastating in areas several thousand miles across
9.0 - 9.9 great
10.0+ epic never recorded

Questions:

1. What is the lowest magnitude of an earthquake?

2. What is the highest magnitude of an earthquake?

3. What is the description of magnitude 5.0 – 5.9 earthquake?

4. What is the effect of a magnitude 7.0 earthquake?

5. What scale can cause serious damage in places several hundred miles across?

Activity 2. Let’s Feel It

Directions: Study the table below about Intensity Scale and answer
the following questions. Write your answers on a

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 separate sheet of paper.

Table 2. Intensity Scale of an Earthquake

Intensity
Shaking Description
Scale
Perceptible to people under favorable circumstances. Delicately balanced
I Scarcely objects are disturbed slightly. Still
Perceptible Water in containers oscillates slowly.
Felt by few individuals at rest indoors. Hanging objects
II Slightly Felt
swing slightly. Still Water in containers oscillates noticeably.
Felt by many people indoors especially in upper floors of buildings. Vibration is
III felt like one passing of a light truck. Dizziness and nausea are experienced by
Weak
some
people.
Felt generally by people indoors and by some people outdoors. Light sleepers
IV Moderately are awakened. Vibration is felt like a passing of heavy truck. Hanging objects
Strong swing
considerably.
Generally felt by most people indoors and outdoors. Many sleeping people are
V awakened. Some are frightened, some run outdoors. Strong shaking and rocking
Strong
felt throughout
building.
Many people are frightened; many run outdoors. Some
VI Very Strong
people lose their balance. Motorists feel like driving in flat tires.
Most people are frightened and run outdoors. People find it difficult to stand in
VII Destructive upper floors. Heavy objects and
furniture overturn or topple. Big church bells may ring.
People are panicky. People find it difficult to stand even outdoors. Many well-
VIII Very built buildings are considerably damaged. Concrete dikes and foundation of
Destructive bridges are
destroyed by ground settling or toppling.
People are forcibly thrown to ground. Many cries and shake with fear. Most
buildings are totally damaged. Bridges and elevated concrete structures are
IX Devastating toppled or destroyed. Numerous utility posts, towers, and monument
are tilted, toppled or broken.
Practically all man-made structures are destroyed. Massive landslides and
X Completely liquefaction, large scale subsidence and uplifting of landforms and many ground
Devastating fissures are observed.

Questions:
1. What is the weakest Intensity scale?

2. What is the strongest Intensity scale?

3. What is the description of a destructive intensity?

4. What is the description of a moderately strong intensity?

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 JOURNAL

Name: __________________________ Topic: _____________________________

Subject: _________________________ Week #: ____________________

Write your realization, understandings, and all things you’ve learned and
experienced in accomplishing the module. Write legibly.
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Parent’s/ Guardian’s Signature: __________________
Teacher’s Feedback:
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