Standards and Objectives

 2.04 Analyze seismic waves including velocity and

refraction to:
a. Infer Earth’s internal structure.
b. Locate earthquake epicenters.
c. Measure earthquake magnitude.
d. Evaluate the level of seismic activity in North Carolina.

 Interpret how P and S waves have helped scientists

theorize about Earth’s internal structure.

 Understand the quantitative values given on the Richter

scale, moment magnitude scale, and the modified-
Mercalli Scale.
Vocabulary
 1. Stress
   2. Strain
   3. Primary Wave
   4. Secondary Wave
   5. Epicenter
   6. Fault
   7. Surface Wave
   8. Focus
   9. Seismogram
   10. Seismometer
   11. Magnitude
   12. Modified Mercalli Scale
   13. Moment Magnitude Scale
   14. Richter Scale
   15. Tsunami
What is an Earthquake?
Stress vs. Strain
 Stress = the force acting on a material
 Strain = the physical change in shape of the
material because of stress
Where does an earthquake happen?

 Epicenter vs. Focus

What are the 3 types of
faults?
 How do earthquakes travel?
 Three different types of waves:
 Primary Waves (P Waves)
 Secondary Waves (S Waves)
 Surface Waves
Main Idea Questions – 2 min

 How does an earthquake happen?

 What are the different types of faults?
 Describe the three kinds of earthquake
waves.
 How do we measure
earthquakes?
Seismometers (aka seismograph)
 create seismograms

 Magnitude = an earthquake’s strength

Richter Scale
 Based on size of largest seismic wave
 Each value is 10 times stronger than the value
before it
Moment Magnitude Scale
 Based on several factors incl
size of fault rupture, amount
of movement along fault,
rocks’ stiffness
 Estimated from the size of
several types of seismic
waves
Modified Mercalli Scale
How do tsunamis form?
Main Idea Questions – 2 min

 How are earthquakes measured? (type of

equipment and types of scales)
 How can an earthquake cause a tsunami?