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Earthquakes

Earthquakes Did you know that each year, over one million earthquakes occur somewhere in the world? Most of them occur under the ocean. Many earthquakes that occur on land masses are so small that they are never felt by humans and cause no damage. Nevertheless, an earthquake CAN be one of the most destructive and powerful forces in nature.

Come visit these earthquake sites and discover more about what ancient peoples used to attribute to the wrath of the gods!

United States Geological Survey

Did you know that a large and active fault called the Wasatch Fault runs north and south right along 1300 East in the Salt Lake Valley?

  1. What is an earthquake?

 

U.C. Berkeley Seismological Laboratory

This site comes from California. They're experts on earthquakes there.

  1. Describe what a fault is.
  2. What is a dip-slip fault?
  3. What is a strike-slip fault?
  4. What is an oblique-slip fault?
  5. Which kind of fault is normally observed in the Western United States Basin and Range Province?

 

Utah's Earthquake Threat

Is a 3.5 a big one or small one?

  1. Explain what the Richter Scale is.
  2. In what range on the Richter Scale would the largest earthquakes on earth register?

 

Earthforce

According to this source, "If you live on the North American continent, the ground beneath you is one giant raft drifting westward very slowly, about 2.5 centimeters (one inch) per year."

  1. The crust of the earth is broken up into enormous plates that float on the molten magma of the mantle beneath the crust. Earthquakes occur when plates of the earth push, pull, buckle, scrape, or bump into each other. This is called plate tectonics. The point where plates meet each other is called a fault. Most plates meet under the ocean. What is the name of the point where the Pacific and North America plates meet?
  2. In what state is this located?
  3. Does this state have frequent earthquakes?

 

Richter Magnitude

What is the strongest earthquake we've ever had in Utah?

  1. Describe the kind of damage caused by an earthquake measuring less than 3.5 on the Richter scale.
  2. Describe the kind of damage caused by an earthquake between 3.5 and 5.4.
  3. Describe the kind of damage caused by an earthquake between 5.5 and 6.0.
  4. Describe the kind of damage caused by an earthquake between 6.1 and 6.9.
  5. Describe the kind of damage caused by an earthquake between 7.0 and 7.9.
  6. Describe the kind of damage caused by an earthquake measuring 8.0 or greater.

 

Selected Images of Kobe

This destructive earthquake happened on January 17, 1995.

  1. Looking at these images of an earthquake in Kobe, Japan. Approximately what would you predict the magnitude may have measured on the Richter scale?

 

World-Wide Earthquake Locator

Have there been recent earthquakes in Utah?

  1. Choose one date during this week and list 3 places in the world that had an earthquake. List the magnitude of each one (what it registered on the Richter scale). There are usually 4-7 days of earthquake activity listed on this page. From the total earthquakes listed, how many of them were in the United States?

 

Government Earthquake Information

Do you think that there is an earthquake every day somewhere in the world?

  1. This map shows where earthquakes have occurred in the last 24 hours. In what general area of the world did the most earthquakes occur?

 

Utah's Earthquake Threat

Is Utah more likely to be hit by an earthquake, a tornado, or a hurricane?

  1. If you are inside a building, what is the safest thing to do during an earthquake?
  2. Where IS the safest place to be during an earthquake?

 

Tsunami

How do you pronounce "tsunami"?

  1. What is a tsunami?
  2. Do you think a tsunami would ever damage Utah?

 

West Coast and Alaska Tsunami Warning Center

If you lived in Alaska, would you visit this webpage frequently?

  1. This site lists recent earthquakes on the west coast of the United States and whether or not the earthquakes might generate tsunamis. From the Table of Contents on this page, choose " WC&ATWC Most Recent Event Message". List the following information for a recent earthquake:

    • Date of earthquake
    • Where the earthquake occurred
    • The magnitude of the earthquake
    • Whether or not a tsunami will be generated

 

Tsunami Safety Rules

Life jackets?

  1. If people don't live right on the coast, but instead live several miles inland along a big river, why do they still need to pay attention to tsunami warnings?
  2. If one big tsunami wave hits a coastal area, is the danger over? Why or why not?
  3. As long as you stay fairly far back from the beach, is it a good idea to go and take pictures of tsunamis? Why or why not?

 

1960 Chilean Tsunami

What other areas of the world are particularly susceptible to tsunamis?

  1. On May 22, 1960 an earthquake occurred in southern Chile. It triggered a tsunami in the Pacific Ocean. List 2 other areas of the world that the tsunami affected besides Chile and describe the damage.

 

Author: LINDA MOSBACKER - Email linda.mosbacker@slc.k12.ut.us