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Evaluating Evaluating EarthquakesEarthquakes

Jill FrankJill FrankSeptember 2006September 2006

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EarthquakesEarthquakes

Abrupt shakings of the Abrupt shakings of the Earth caused by the Earth caused by the release of built up pressure release of built up pressure on the Earth’s surface.on the Earth’s surface.

Earthquakes cause the Earthquakes cause the Earth to shake for less than Earth to shake for less than a minute but can do major a minute but can do major damage.damage.

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Is the Earth’s Crust Is the Earth’s Crust One Solid Sheet?One Solid Sheet?

The crust of Earth is actually broken The crust of Earth is actually broken into 12 main plates that fit together into 12 main plates that fit together like puzzle pieces.like puzzle pieces.

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The Floating EarthThe Floating Earth The mantle is the layer of Earth just The mantle is the layer of Earth just

below the crust. It is a made up of a below the crust. It is a made up of a liquid.liquid.

Because the mantle is liquid, the hard Because the mantle is liquid, the hard surface of the Earth is actually floating.surface of the Earth is actually floating.

The crust floating on the mantle is similar The crust floating on the mantle is similar to crackers floating on top of soup.to crackers floating on top of soup.

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Who’s Fault is it?Who’s Fault is it? The space between two plates is called a The space between two plates is called a

faultfault.. Because earthquakes occur when two Because earthquakes occur when two

plates rub together, they are often said to plates rub together, they are often said to occur on occur on fault linesfault lines..

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Plate MovementPlate Movement Earth’s plates can move in three directions:Earth’s plates can move in three directions:

– DivergentDivergent

– ConvergentConvergent

– TransformationalTransformational This movement forms an earthquake

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How Does an Earthquake How Does an Earthquake Form?Form?

When plates try to move in opposite directions, When plates try to move in opposite directions, they put pressure on each other because they they put pressure on each other because they do not want to slide past each other.do not want to slide past each other.

When the pressure gets too great the pressure When the pressure gets too great the pressure breaks and the plates are forced to slide. This breaks and the plates are forced to slide. This sliding, called sliding, called frictionfriction, is rough and jerky which , is rough and jerky which causes the Earth to shake.causes the Earth to shake.

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The Center of it AllThe Center of it All The point where the plates The point where the plates

experience the experience the frictionfriction is called the is called the epicenterepicenter..

Where is the epicenter in this Where is the epicenter in this picture?picture?

Epicenter

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Who Feels the Shaking?Who Feels the Shaking? The shaking starts at the The shaking starts at the epicenterepicenter

and spreads in circles outward much and spreads in circles outward much like the ripples of water dripping into like the ripples of water dripping into a puddle.a puddle.

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Seismic WavesSeismic Waves The waves of shaking are called The waves of shaking are called

seismic wavesseismic waves..

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The Richter ScaleThe Richter Scale The The Richter scaleRichter scale is used to measure is used to measure

how much shaking an earthquake how much shaking an earthquake causes.causes.

The Richter scale gives each The Richter scale gives each earthquake a number from 1-10.earthquake a number from 1-10.– Less than 2 – cannot be feltLess than 2 – cannot be felt– 2 and 4 – can be felt but do not cause 2 and 4 – can be felt but do not cause

damagedamage– 5 and 6 – can cause damage5 and 6 – can cause damage– 7-10 are major earthquakes and cause 7-10 are major earthquakes and cause

severe damagesevere damage

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How Do We Measure An How Do We Measure An Earthquake?Earthquake?

Earthquakes are measured using a Earthquakes are measured using a seismometerseismometer..

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A Homemade SeismometerA Homemade Seismometer As the Earth shakes it causes the cup As the Earth shakes it causes the cup

and pencil to swing drawing lines on and pencil to swing drawing lines on the paper.the paper.

Would a major earthquake make big Would a major earthquake make big lines or small lines?lines or small lines?

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Earthquake DamageEarthquake Damage

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Does Mississippi Have Does Mississippi Have Earthquakes?Earthquakes?

Yes, but they are very rare.Yes, but they are very rare. In 1812 an earthquake of 8.2 In 1812 an earthquake of 8.2

magnitude was recorded in Memphis, magnitude was recorded in Memphis, TN. Mississippi felt the shaking.TN. Mississippi felt the shaking.

It is predicted that this fault will It is predicted that this fault will produce another quake in the next 50 produce another quake in the next 50 years.years.

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Works CitedWorks Cited Berkley. 1995. Earthquake. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. Berkley. 1995. Earthquake. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006.

http://cse.ssl.berkeley.edu/lessons/indiv/davis/inprogress/QuakesEng3.html CDLI. Earthquakes: seismic waves. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. CDLI. Earthquakes: seismic waves. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006.

http://www.cdli.ca/CITE/earth_waves.htm ETI. 2006. Sniffing for oil and earthquakes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. ETI. 2006. Sniffing for oil and earthquakes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006.

http://www.eti-geochemistry.com/gulfeq/images/pic07.html FEMA. Earthquakes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. FEMA. Earthquakes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. http://www.fema.gov/kids/quake.htm Live Science. New Data Confirms Strong Earthquake Risk to Central U.S. Accessed Live Science. New Data Confirms Strong Earthquake Risk to Central U.S. Accessed

20 Sept. 2006. 20 Sept. 2006. http://www.livescience.com/forcesofnature/050622_new_madrid.html Maps. 2006. Earth’s tectonic plates. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. Maps. 2006. Earth’s tectonic plates. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006.

http://www.maps.com/ref_map.aspx?nav=RM&cid=679,1037&pid=12871 Maryland Geological Society. 2006. Earthquakes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. Maryland Geological Society. 2006. Earthquakes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006.

http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/brochures/earthquake.html Nana’s Recipes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. Nana’s Recipes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. http://nanasrecipes.com/soup.html North Mississippi GK-8. Earthquake activites. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. North Mississippi GK-8. Earthquake activites. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006.

http://smartweed.olemiss.edu/nmgk8/curriculum/middleschool/seventh/earthquake/http://smartweed.olemiss.edu/nmgk8/curriculum/middleschool/seventh/earthquake/Earthquake.pdfEarthquake.pdf

Physical Geography. 2006. Earthquakes. Accessed 21 Sept. 2006. Physical Geography. 2006. Earthquakes. Accessed 21 Sept. 2006. http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10m.htmlhttp://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/10m.html

Provincial Emergency Program. 2006. Earthquake damage. Accessed 20 Sept. Provincial Emergency Program. 2006. Earthquake damage. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. http://www.pep.bc.ca/hazard_preparedness/Earthquake_photos.html2006. http://www.pep.bc.ca/hazard_preparedness/Earthquake_photos.html

The Tech. Earthquakes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. The Tech. Earthquakes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. http://www.thetech.net/exhibits/online/quakes/overview/http://www.thetech.net/exhibits/online/quakes/overview/

Thinkquest. Earthquakes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. Thinkquest. Earthquakes. Accessed 20 Sept. 2006. http://library.thinkquest.org/10136/earthquk/earttq.htm http://library.thinkquest.org/10136/earthquk/earttq.htm