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Activity 2: Find the Center

Objective: Locate the epicentre of an earthquake using triangulation Method.
Formula d = Td/ 8sec x 100
Where:
d is distance
Td is time difference between P and S wave
Procedure
1. Study the data showing the difference in the arrival time of P and S wave on three seismic station

RECORDING STATION TOME DIFFERENCE IN THE DISTANCE EPICENTER FROM

ARRIVAL OF P ANS S WAVE THE STATION (Km)
(seconds)
Batangas 44.8
32
38.4

Guide questions:

1. Where is the epicentre of this hypothetical earthquake?

2. How is an earthquake located?

3. What is an epicenter?

4. How are S waves and P waves used to determine how far away epicenters are?

5. How does distance from the epicenter affect the S-P time interval?

6. Describe the process of triangulation to locate an epicenter. Triangulation requires seismic data from
ACTIVITY 3: Earthquake Location by Triangulation:

a) Calculate the time lag in seconds for each of the seismograph stations in the five tables below

b) Calculate the distance from the epicenter for each seismograph station, using the math equation:

Distance from epicenter = time lag / 8 sec/ x 100

c) Divide the distances from the epicenter by 120 to determine the map distances.

d) Using a ruler, set the distance between a compass point and a compass pencil at a distance equal to the map
distance. Insert the compass point in the appropriate city on the map, and draw a circle.

e) Use the triangulation method to pinpoint the epicenter of each earthquake on the map.

Earthquake 1
Seismograph P-wave time S-wave time Time Lag (sec) Epicenter Distance Map
(km)
Distance (km)
Portland, OR 9:02:20 9:03:50

Boise, ID 9:03:00 9:04:45

Los Angeles, CA 9:03:10 9:04:58

Earthquake 2
Seismograph P-wave time S-wave time Time Lag (sec) Epicenter Distance Map
(km)
Distance (km)
Seattle, WA 9:03:10 9:04:58

Denver, CO 9:04:30 9:06:45

Billings, MT 9:02:15 9:03:57

Answer the following questions:

1. Why do you need data from three seismographs to find the epicenter of an earthquake?

2. Which of the five earthquakes would be the greatest threat to us in Phoenix?

3. Tsunami’s are large, destructive waves that occur along the coast. They are caused by earthquakes that
happen underneath the ocean floor. Will any of these five earthquakes cause a Tsunami? Which one?

4. Describe the locations of the epicenters of each of the five earthquakes on this map.
Performance out put

Video Presentation: You may choose one of the following topics. The Video is minimum of 4 minutes and
maximum of 7 minutes.

1. Plate Tectonics Theory

2. Continental drift theory
3. Convection current in the mantle
4. Seafloor spreading theory
5. Formations of Hot Spot