Lesson 4

 
30 August 2021
13:24
 

What causes earthquakes?

Key Definition
 An earthquake is a sudden and violent shaking of the ground as a result of built up pressure
from plate movement.
 Focus
o The point inside the crust where the pressure is released
 Epicentre
o The point on the Earth's earthquake
 Seismic Waves
o A wave of energy released following an earthquake
 
Challenge:
As the depth of the focus deepens more, the seismic waves would spread out so that larger
areas are affected. However, if the focus is shallow under the crust, the impact is being
concentrated on smaller point, forming larger earthquake.
 
Rechter Scale (1930s)
 Based on the amount of energy produced from an earthquake
 Good for regional earth quakes <5 in Magnitude Scale from 1-10
 No upper limit
 Logarithmic
Goes up by the power of 10.
 Weakness:
o This only measures the strength of the earthquake, so depending on the situation of
the epicentre of the earthquake, we cannot figure out the exact damage of the
earthquake.
 
Mercalli Scale
  Measures the effects of an earthquake
 Scales from 1 to 12
 Subjective (based on opinions) descriptions of the damage.
 Weakness:
o This scale is subjective, which means that the scale may differ between different
people. Therefore, the judge have to be made by one person to be fair.
 
Seismograms
 Record the extent of an earthquake and tells scientists how much energy the earthquake
released
 Pen
o It shakes on the seismograph when there is movement from the earthquake.\
 
Learning review:
1. Seismic waves are a energy in a form of wave that makes earthquake to follow along.
2. Rechart scale and Mercalli scale are the scales that measure the strength and damage of an
earthquake.
3. Focus is the starting point of the seismic wave and the epicentre is the point where the wave
first touch the crust of the earth.
4. Seismogram measures an earthquake.
 
 
Location and Richter Scale Mercalli Scale Plate
Date Measurement (1-10) Measurement Boundary
(I-XII)
Japan, 2011  9.0  11 (7) Destructive
Christchurch,  7.1  6 (10) Destructive
New Zealand,
2011
Kashmir,  7.6 6 (8) Collision
Pakistan, 2005
Haiti, 2010  7.0 9 (10) Conservative
Sichuan, China,  8.0 7 (11) Destructive
2008
 
 
 
 
Location and Human Richter Scale Mercalli Scale Plate Death Cost (in
Date Development Measurement Measurement Boundary Toll US
Index Rank (1 is Dollars $)
top)
Japan, 2011 19 9.0 VII Destructive 15, 894 $235
billion

Christchurch, 16 7.1 X Destructive 185 $10

2010 billion

Kashmir, 150 7.6 VIII Collision 74, 698 $2.3

2010 billion

Haiti, 2010 168 7.0 X Conservative 230, $14

000 billion

Sichuan, 86 8.0 XI Destructive 70, 000 $50

2008 billion

Earthquakes and Volcanoes – Exam Practice

Q1. Study Figure 1, a table comparing the strength and effects of earthquakes around the world.

a) Using Figure 1, answer the questions below:

(i) Which earthquake recorded the highest magnitude? (1)

Japan 2011

(ii) Which earthquake was the most expensive? (1)

Japan 2011

(iii) Which earthquake had the highest death toll? (1)

Haiti 2010

(iv) Describe the relationship between the earthquake size and the number of deaths. (3)

The earthquake size matters the death toll, because if the size is large, the larger area is
impacted and may kill more people. However, people aren't spreaded equally over the Earth
so that the population of the are the earthquake occur is more effective to the death toll than
the size of the earthquake.

(v) Explain why earthquakes occur along plate boundaries (4)

In most time, earthquake occurs on destructive and conservative plate boundaries. The
similarities that they share is that the plates doesn't push or pull but rub each other. Then,
while rubbing the frictions between large tectonic plates create a wave called seismic wave
that damages the crust followed by the earthquake. The difference is, that the conservative
boundaries transport horizontally but different direction, and the destructive boundary, lighter
plate goes over the denser plate, usually happens between continental and oceanic plates.