Lesson

1 Earthquake and Faults

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 called
faulting. An earthquake could also be volcanic. Tremors are often produced to signal an
upcoming discharge at this vicinity or region.
The pressure makes the rocks move. The place where the earthquake originates is
called focus. The earth’s surface directly above the focus is called an epicenter. The seismic
waves travel outward from the focus in all direction when energy is released. 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 Ritcher 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) use the following scale to describe the
intensity of earthquakes in the Philippines.

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Intensity
Description
Scale
I Scarcely Perceptible – Perceptible to people under favourable
circumstances. Delicately balanced objects are disturbed slightly. Still water in
containers oscillates slowly.
II Slightly Felt – Felt by few individuals at rest indoors. Hanging objects swing
slightly. Still water in containers oscillates noticeably.
III Weak – Felt by many people indoors especially in upper floors of buildings.
Vibration is felt like one passing of a light truck. Dizziness and nausea are
experienced by some people. Hanging objects swing moderately. Still water in
containers oscillates moderately.
IV Moderately Strong – Felt generally by people indoors and by some people
outdoors. Light sleepers are awakened. Vibration is felt like passing of a heavy
truck. Hanging objects swing considerably. Dinner plates, glasses, windows
 and doors rattle. Floors and walls of wood framed buildings crack. Standing
motor cars may rock slightly. Liquids in containers slightly disturbed. Water in
containers oscillates strongly. Rumbling sounds may sometimes be heard.
V Strong – Generally by most people indoors and outdoors. Many sleeping
people are awakened. Some are frightened, some run outdoors. Strong
shaking and racking felt throughout the building. Hanging objects swing
violently. Dining utensils clatter and clink, some are broken. Small light and
unstable objects may roll or overturn. Liquids spill from filed open containers.
Standing vehicles rock noticeably. Shaking of leaves and twigs of trees are
noticeable.
VI Very Strong – Many people are frightened and run outdoors. Some people
lose their balance. Motorist feels like driving in fist fires. Heavy objects or
furniture move or may be shifted. Small church bells may ring. Wall plaster
may crack. Very old or poorly-built houses and man-made structures are
slightly damaged though well-built structures are not affected. Limited rock falls
and rolling boulders occur in hilly and mountainous areas and escarpment
trees are noticeably shaken.
VII Destructive – Most people are frightened and run outdoors. People find it
difficult to stand in upper floors. Heavy objects and furniture overturn or toggle.
Big church bell may ring. Old or poorly-built structures suffer considerably
damage. Some well-built structures are slightly damaged. Some cracks may
appear on dikes, fish ponds, road surface, or concrete hollow block walls.
Limited liquefaction, lateral spreading and landslides are observed. Trees are
shaken strongly. (Liquefaction is a process by which loose saturated sand lose
strength during an Earthquake and behave like a liquid).
VIII Very Destructive – Most people are panicky. People find it difficult to even
outdoors. Many well-built buildings are considerably damaged. Concrete dikes
and foundation or bridges are destroyed by ground setting and tapping.
Railway tracks are bent or broken. Tombstones may be displaced, twisted or
overturned. Utility posts, towers and monuments may tilt or topple. Water and
sewer pipes may be bent, twisted or broken. Limited liquefaction and lateral
spreading cause man-made structure to sink, tilt or topple. Numerous
landslides and rock fells occur in mountainous and hilly areas. Boulders are
thrown out from their positions particularly near the epicentre. Fissures and
faults rupture may be observed. Trees are violently shaken. Water splash or
slep over dikes or banks of rivers.
IX Devastating – People are forcibly thrown to ground. Many cry and shake with
fear. Most buildings are totally damaged. Bridges elevated concrete structures
are toppled or destroyed. Numerous utility posts, towers and monuments are
tilted, toppled or broken. Water sewer pipes are bent, twisted or broken.
Landslides and liquefaction with lateral spreading and sand boils are
widespread the ground is distorted into undulations. Trees are shaken very
violently with some toppled or broken. Boulders are commonly thrown out.
River water splashes violently or slaps over dikes and banks.
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X Completely Devastating – Practically all man-made structures are destroyed.
Massive landslides and liquefaction, large scale subsidence and uplift or land
forms and many ground fissures are observed. Changes in river courses and
destructive sachets in large lakes occur. Many trees are toppled, broken and
uprooted.
Table 1. PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale (PEIS)
 However consequences accompanying any faults. Assume a residence was constructed
on a fault. As the spot displaces 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 what you had observed in lesson1 activity 1 and 2.
Considerably, 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.
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 analyzing 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.

Summary
A fault is a break in the Earth’s crust, and along the break, significant movement has
taken place. Its movement can be described along the fault in the horizontal direction. That is,
the ground moves sideways. On the other hand, if ground will be observed to move up or down
the movement in the vertical direction. An earthquake is a vibration of the Earth due to the rapid
release of energy. The place where the earthquake starts is called the focus, along the fault
plane. The spot on the surface of the Earth that is directly above the focus is called the
epicenter. The strength/energy of an earthquake is called the magnitude. The strength of the
movement of an earthquake of (how strong or weak is the shaking) is called the intensity.

Scientists use different ways to find out if a fault is active. One is by checking the
country’s historical records. Another is by studying the vibrations, past and present that come
from faults. Still another way is by observing the surroundings. Or a fault may cut across a
stream and the stream channel is then shifted. Or a fault may slice through mountains and form
cliffs.

FOUR TYPES OF FAULTING

Name: __________________________ Grade & Section: _____________

Fill in the blank

Directions: Fill in the blanks with the correct term that would complete the thought of the
paragraph. Choose from the options inside the parenthesis.

Earthquakes occur repeatedly along ___________ (faults, cliff) which are zones of
weakness in the crust. These are formed when the forces that move in different directions go
beyond the elastic limit of the rock masses. Shift in position results when ___________ (two,
three) blocks slip or move against one another. Tremendous amounts of ___________ (friction,
stress) as plates grind each other in different directions leads to jerky movements or violent
earthquakes. A ___________ (dip-slip, strike-slip) movement occurs when the hanging wall
moved predominantly up or down relative to the footwall leading to a normal or reverse fault. A
___________ (dip-slip, strike-slip) movement, on the other hand, happens when the hanging
wall moves horizontally thereby producing left lateral or right lateral fault. When the hanging
wall motion is neither dominantly vertical nor horizontal, the motion is called oblique-slip.

Identification
Directions: Tell the SPECIFIC type of fault illustrated. Write your answers on the space
provided.

Answer the following questions:

1. What occurs when the faults release the stress build-up?

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2. How are earthquakes dangerous?

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3. Why is it important to prepare for earthquakes?

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