Earthquakes
Plate Tectonics
Just a minute: What causes
earthquakes?
In 5 minutes you need to be able to answer this question using knowledge
you’ve learned from today’s lesson.
You’ll have to be able to speak for 1 minute and will not be allowed to use your
book.
Earthquakes lesson
1
LO: To understand the location
and causes of earthquakes
By the end of this lesson you should
know these Key Terms.
Earthquake
Fault
Strain energy
Seismic waves
• Focus
• Epicentre
• Aftershock
• Tremors
Key
What are Earthquakes? word
A sudden violent shaking of the ground, typically causing
great destruction, as a result of movements within the
earth's crust.
Task: Add this definition to
your glossary in your booklet
on page 14
What causes earthquakes?
- Slab pull
- Ridge push
- Convection currents
Still confused about how tectonic plates move? After this lesson follow these links to jog
your memory!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryrXAGY1dmE
Plate margins/plate boundaries have
different names depending on how the
plates move.
Are they moving towards each other?
Away from each other?
Alongside each other? Task: Complete the
grid on page 2 in your
booklets.
Use slide 11 to help
The destructive plate
margin box is bigger- you!
read about
subduction zones
and fold mountains!
What happens when there is an earthquake?
Fault lines are the areas where two plates meet, sometimes
the plates get stuck next to each other due to friction. When
they push to get past the friction the plates slip and there is a
sudden release of energy. This earthquake then sends waves
of energy through the earth these are called seismic waves.
Task: Take a look at your keywords on slide 4,
can you add in the meaning of any more key
terms?
An earthquake originates deep in the Earth’s
crust, this is called the hypocentre. The
epicentre is the place on the earths surface
directly above the hypocentre – this is where
the earthquake is felt the most.
What Causes an Earthquake?
The tectonic plate suddenly moves
As the surface settles back down there will be smaller
earthquakes known as aftershocks.
Energy is released as ‘seismic waves’ travel along the surface
away from the epicentre (point on the surface above the focus)
The rock breaks along a weak point (fault line) when the
pressure is released. Where the rock breaks is the ‘focus’
Tectonic plates are locked together by friction
This is an earthquake. The Earth’s surface shakes, causing ‘tremors’
Pressure (strain energy) builds up due to movement in the mantle
What Causes an Earthquake?
Tectonic plates are locked together by friction
Pressure (strain energy) builds up due to movement in the mantle
The rock breaks along a weak point (fault line) when the
pressure is released. Where the rock breaks is the ‘focus’
The tectonic plate suddenly moves
Energy is released as ‘seismic waves’ travel along the surface
away from the epicentre (point on the surface above the focus)
This is an earthquake. The Earth’s surface shakes, causing ‘tremors’
As the surface settles back down there will be smaller
earthquakes known as aftershocks.
Remember, whatever happens in the
Earth affects what happens on the
Earth’s surface.
A bit like a boat on water, when the
waves are rough the boat will move
more!
Task:
Sort the stages of an
earthquake into the correct
order
The convection currents are trying to move the plates, increasing potential energy
where the plates meet
Plates cannot move freely because friction is greater than the potential energy
As the plates jolt, they crash into each other, stopping again.
This potential energy builds up over time
Kinetic energy is released as vibrations (seismic waves) when the plates crash into
each other again. This is an earthquake.
When the potential energy (wanting to move the plates) is greater than the friction
(stopping the plates from moving), the plates move suddenly
How do we measure
the strength of
Earthquakes?
Discuss in pairs
SEISMOGR
APH
The Richter Scale
This measures the magnitude of a tremor (how powerful it is)
using an instrument called a SEISMOGRAPH.
On the Richter Scale, magnitude is expressed in whole
numbers and decimal fractions. Although the Richter Scale
has no upper limit, the largest earthquake ever recorded was
in 1960 in Chile. It measured 9.5 on the Richter Scale.
It is a logarithmic scale which means that a size ‘6’ on the
Richter Scale is 10 times larger than a size ‘5’ and 100 times
larger than a size ‘4’.
Show what you have learned
1. Explain what causes an earthquake and why everything shakes.
2. Draw and label a cross section of a Destructive plate margin showing the
following information.
a) The location of the fault line and the two tectonic plates.
b) Where the epicentre and focus of an earthquake are likely to occur.
c) Show the pattern of the seismic waves caused by an earthquake.
3. Define the terms epicentre, focus and seismic waves.
4. Explain what a seismometer is used for and how the magnitude of an
earthquake can be measured.
5. Give some examples of damage caused by earthquakes
LO: To
understand what
the immediate
Responses
and long term
responses are to to
earthquakes
earthquakes
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA
What are immediate and long
term responses?
Immediate responses: These
Long-term responses: These
responses happen within hours and
responses happen weeks, months
days after an earthquake strikes.
and years after an earthquake.
E.g. Search and rescue and keeping
E.g. Re-building houses,
survivors alive by providing medical
reconstruction, clearing debris.
care, food and shelter.
Task: Put the responses on this slide
and the next into your own words
(do not copy and paste).
Fill in the table on page 8 in your
booklet.
Responses to the Japan earthquake
Immediate Responses:
· Temporary shelters housed survivors and offered medical aid
· Helicopter crews looked for survivors on rooftops and flooded farmland.
· 100000 soldiers assigned to establish order, organize rescue work, and
distribute blankets, bottled water, food, and petrol.
· Offers of aid poured in from other countries, including China and the
USA.
· An exclusion zone was set up around the Fukushima nuclear plant.
Long-Term Responses:
• Building better tsunami
protection along the coast line
• Special loans were given to
people impacted by the
earthquake and tsunami to
help them rebuild their lives
• Reduced taxes
• Relief donations given over a
long period by USA and UK
• Decontamination of areas of
affected by radiation
• Compensation to people who
had to relocate due to the
nuclear disaster
Task
Compare earthquake short term and long term
responses between an MEDC and LEDC
country. 7mrks
Now that we have identified and described the possible
hazards…
On your own…
Create 3 bullet points of 3 things that you would do to
protect yourself.
Remember to link it to the hazard where you can
Look at page 14 and 15 (A new intro book) and discuss with
your learning group your ideas
On your own…
Think about the levels (on the display) and see if you can
add some more depth and detail to your ideas to improve
the quality of your answers
On your slip of paper you are going to create a flyer
that will be given to people in earthquake hazard
zones
You need to give them 3 top tips for surviving an
earthquake
You need to try to convince people to do these things,
so give reasons/justify why it is important for them to
do it
You can include diagrams if you like
…but you can Predict, Protect and Prepare! –
KEY TERMS!
The three Ps: the collective term for prediction, protection and
preparation.
1. Prediction: attempts to forecast an event – where and when it
will happen – based on current knowledge.
2. Protection: constructing buildings so that they are safe to live
in and will not collapse.
3. Preparation: organising activities and drills so that people
know what to do in the event of an earthquake.
1. Predicting
earthquakes
How might scientists predict earthquakes? Top tip! Think back
to our first lesson on earthquakes…
• Scientists can try to forecast when an
earthquake might happen using seismographs
to detect foreshocks.
• Experts know where to earthquakes are likely
to occur, but struggle to establish when.
• Animal behaviour has been used in the east,
eg. in China, but it is viewed sceptically in the
USA.
2. Protection: Buildings in earthquake zones
Which shape of building would be most
‘earthquake proof’?
Explain your answer.
3. Preparation
• This involves hospitals, emergency
services and inhabitants practising for
major disasters, including having drills in
public buildings and a code of practice so
that people know what to do to reduce
the impact and increase the chance of
survival.
To be earthquake proof, buildings, structures and their
foundations need to be built to be resistant to sideways
loads. The lighter the building is, the less the loads. This is
particularly so when the weight is higher up. Where
possible the roof should be of light-weight material. If
there are floors and walls and partitions, the lighter these
are the better, too. If the sideways resistance is to be
obtained from walls, these walls must go equally in both
directions. They must be strong enough to take the loads.
They must be tied in to any framing, and reinforced to take
load in their weakest direction. They must not fall apart
and must remain in place after the worst shock waves so
as to retain strength for the after shocks.
Here is your key question –
write it in your books.
How can similar earthquakes in Iran and USA have
very different impacts on the people who live
there? Internet activity
Make a table using the information that you will
see online. Then prepare an answer to the
key question.
Location California Iran
Date
Strength
Deaths
Task
Design an earthquake proof building and
draw it in your book, don’t forget labels and
explain how it is safe.
