Earthquakes!

​Understanding Earthquakes

​Why does the Earth shake?

​Review - Plate Boundaries

• Earth's crust is cracked into 12 plates.

• The plates meet at boundaries.

• Scientists study plate boundaries because changes in the geosphere happen there.

• They classify plate boundaries into:

  • Convergent

  • Divergent

  • Transform

• A transform boundary is a place where plates ru​b against each other.

  ​

Multiple Choice

Earth's crust is ___.

• One smooth shell

• Cracked into 12 plates

Multiple Select

Which two facts help to explain why the plates move?

(Pick 2!)

• The plates in the crust are liquid.

• The plates in the crust are solid.

• The mantle below is solid.

• The mantle below is liquid.

Multiple Choice

Scientists study Plate Boundaries because ____.

• The government forces them to.

• Most changes in the geosphere happen at plate boundaries.

• The plate boundaries never change so they are easy to study.

Match

Match the plate boundary to its definition.

• Plates spread apart

• Plates come together

• Plates rub against each other

Divergent

Convergent

Transform

• Divergent

• Convergent

• Transform

Match

Match the plate boundary to its diagram.

Divergent

Convergent

Transform

• Divergent

• Convergent

• Transform

​How do Earthquakes Happen?

• ​Earthquakes are most likely to happen at Transform Boundaries.​

• As the plates rub, they build up a lot of energy.

• When they finally ​shift, that energy is released and transferred by waves.

• The waves travel from the focus underground to the epicenter on the surface.

• The energy transferred by the waves makes the ground shake, causing an Earthquake.​

Multiple Choice

Earthquakes are most likely to happen at ____ boundaries.

• Convergent

• Divergent

• Transform

Multiple Choice

Which disruption is most likely to happen at a Transform Boundary?

• Volcanic Eruptions

• Earthquakes

• Trench Formation

• Mountain Formation

Multiple Choice

How is energy transferred from the focus underground

to the epicenter on the surface?

• By waves

• By teleporters

• By gravity

Multiple Choice

During an Earthquake, ____ rises from underground to the surface.

• Energy

• Magma

• An alien

Match

Match the following.

• Focus

• Epicenter

• Wave

Energy starts here.

Energy ends here.

Transfers the energy.

• Energy starts here.

• Energy ends here.

• Transfers the energy.

​Where do Earthquakes Happen?

​

• Earthquakes can happen anywhere, but they happen most often at transform plate boundaries.

• Earthquakes are most common on the coasts of the Pacific Ocean.

• States with a lot of Earthquakes include California and Alaska.

• Countries with a lot of Earthquakes include Japan, Chile, and Peru.

Multiple Choice

Earthquakes are most common near the ____ Ocean.

• Atlantic

• Pacific

• Arctic

• Southern

Multiple Choice

Earthquakes happen near the Pacific Ocean because ____.

• The Pacific Ocean includes many transform plate boundaries.

• A magnet buried in the Pacific Ocean attracts waves of energy.

• An angry Seamonster throws tantrums in the Pacific Ocean.

Open Ended

"Two places that experience a lot of Earthquakes are ____ and ____."

​How do Scientists study Earthquakes?

​

• Scientists study Earthquakes using a tool called a Seismograph.

• The Seismograph records the movement of the ground, and makes a graph.

• Scientists then rate the Earthquake on a scale from 1-10, with a 1 being very small, and a 10 being the biggest possible Earthquake.

​Magnitude is the Science word for size, so this scale measures the size of the Earthquake. Scientists classify Earthquakes based on their magnitude.

The biggest Earthquake recorded so far was Magnitude 9.5 in ​Chile.

Multiple Choice

To study Earthquakes, scientists use a tool called a ____.

• Seismograph

• Thermometer

• Barometer

• Polygraph

Multiple Choice

Magnitude is the science word for ___.

• Size

• Color

• Shape

• Age

Multiple Choice

Earthquakes are classified based on their ____.

• Magnitude

• Temperature

• Age

• Location

Match

Match the magnitude of the earthquake

to its impact.

• People cannot feel it, but a seismograph can.

• Materials in your house might shake a little.

• Buildings that were poorly made might get damaged,

• Most buildings will get damaged.

• Extreme destruction and death.

1

3

5

7

9

• 1

• 3

• 5

• 7

• 9

​How do Earthquakes affect people?

• ​Earthquakes happen every day, all over the world, but most are a magnitude 1 or 2, so people can't feel them.

• ​Bigger Earthquakes can destroy buildings, roads, bridges and other pieces of infrastructure.

• The collapse of this infrastructure can cause injury and death, as well as leading to homelessness and unemployment.

Multiple Choice

Which description of Earthquakes is most accurate?

• Earthquakes are very rare, but when they happen they always cause severe damage.

• Earthquakes happen every day, but most are too small to notice.

• Earthquakes happen every day, so they are the number one cause of death in the US.

Multiple Choice

Roads, bridges, and railroad tracks are examples of ___.

• Infrastructure

• Disruptions

• Landforms

Multiple Select

Which are possible ways that Earthquakes affect humans?

(Pick 2!)

• Roads, bridges, and other infrastructure can be destroyed.

• People may lose their homes, schools, and workplaces.

• Earthquakes can fill the air with thick smoke that is hard to breathe.

• Earthquakes can poison the food supply and make it hard to find things to eat.

Multiple Choice

Earthquakes make it hardest for people to meet their need for ___.

• Food

• Water

• Shelter

• Air

​How do people stay safe?

• ​Scientists cannot predict when an Earthquake will happen.

• ​In areas at high risk of Earthquakes, people take special steps to keep their homes and other buildings safe.

• Laws are made to limit where new buildings can be constructed and which materials are allowed.

• Special designs are needed to make it possible for the building to stay standing when the ground shakes.

• These rules make construction more expensive, but they save lives.

Multiple Select

Which of these strategies might be used to keep people safe from Earthquakes?

(Pick 2!)

• Telling people to evacuate during the days before an Earthquake

• Designing buildings that can handle the shaking of the ground.

• Designing buildings that can handle being burnt by lava.

• Limiting where buildings can be constructed and what materials can be used.

Multiple Choice

Which explanation is the most likely reason someone would argue against safer construction laws?

• Safe construction is more expensive.

• They want people to die from Earthquakes to prevent overpopulation.

• They don't believe Earthquakes are real.

Open Ended

"Earthquakes affect people because _______.

Earthquakes affect people so _______."