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Earthquake Notes

Earthquakes are caused by the rapid release of energy from the shifting of tectonic plates underneath the earth's surface. They produce shaking and vibrations at the epicenter and can cause damage over large areas. Scientists study earthquakes using seismographs to measure their magnitude, location, and intensity. While earthquakes cannot be predicted, their effects can be mitigated through engineering and preparation.

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67 views

Earthquake Notes

Earthquakes are caused by the rapid release of energy from the shifting of tectonic plates underneath the earth's surface. They produce shaking and vibrations at the epicenter and can cause damage over large areas. Scientists study earthquakes using seismographs to measure their magnitude, location, and intensity. While earthquakes cannot be predicted, their effects can be mitigated through engineering and preparation.

Uploaded by

Elyen
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EARTHQUAKES

 is the vibration of earth produced by the rapid release of energy.


 are the shaking, rolling or sudden shock of the earth's surface.
 they are the Earth's natural means of releasing stress. Some of the earth's most powerful events.
 Earthquakes can be felt over a large areas although they usually last less than one minute.
 Usually causes other natural disasters.
 Earthquakes cannot be predicted, although scientists are working on it.

Causes of Earthquakes
1. Plates shift in earth's outer crust.
2. Stress occurs on rocks along faults.
3. Excessive stress causes rocks to break.
4. Rocks moves into a new positions.

Terms and Definitions

1. Focus/ foci- The location where the earthquake begins


2. Faults- large fractures that are associated with plate boundaries.
3. Aftershocks- is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a previous large earthquake
4. Seismology- the study of earthquake waves.
5. Seismograph- is an instrument used for recording the intensity and duration of an earthquake.
6. Seismograms- ( seismos= shake, gramma= what is written) a record produced by a seismograph.
7. Tsunami- is a large ocean wave usually caused by an underwater earthquake or a volcanic explosion.
8. Epicenter- the point on the earth's surface directly above the source of the earthquake.
9. Seismic waves- the energy created by the quake that travels in waves from the epicenter, where they are the strongest.
10. Richter scale- the magnitude of an earthquake is estimated by measuring the amplitude ( maximum displacement) of the largest
seismic wave record.
11. Moment magnitude – is currently used to estimate the size of moderate and large earthquakes.

Measuring the size of Earthquakes


 Intensity- a measure of the degree of earthquake shaking a given locale based on the amount of damage.
 Magnitude- relies on the calculations that use data provided by seismic records to estimate the amount of energy released
at the source of the earthquake.

Factors on Structural Damage


1. Intensity
2.Duration of the vibrations
3. Nature of the material upon which the structures rests
4. The design of the structure

Secondary Effects of Earthquakes


1. Tsunamis
2. landslides
3. ground subsidence
4. fire

As indicated by the behavior of P and S waves as they travel through Earth, the 4 major Zones of the Earth
1. crust- the very thin outer layer.
2. mantle- a rocky layer located below the crust with a thickness of 2885 km.
3. outer core- a layer about 2270 km thick which exhibits the characteristics of a mobile liquid.
4. inner core- a solid metallic sphere with radius of about 1216 km.

 The continental crust is primarily made of granitic rocks, while the oceanic crust is of basaltic composition.
 Ultramafic rocks, such as peridotite are thought to make up the mantle.
 The core is composed mainly of iron and nickel.
 The crust and uppermost mantle form Earth’s cool rigid outer shell called the lithosphere.
 Beneath the lithosphere lies a soft, relatively weak layer of the mantle known as the asthenosphere.

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