MODULE 1:

VOLCANOES,
EARTHQUAKE
EPICENTER AND
MOUNTAIN
RANGES
Map of Earthquake Distribution
Map of active volcanoes
Map of Mountain ranges
1. How do you compare the locations
of majority of earthquake epicenters,
active volcanoes and major mountain
belts?
• Different areas on Earth most likely to have earthquakes,
mountain ranges and active volcanoes are marked as
boundaries of lithospheric plates as shown in the map of
plate boundaries. Thus, the Earth’s lithosphere is constantly
moving in slow pace causing geologic events and activities
that happens along the plate boundaries. These boundaries
either move close together, move apart or slide pass each
other producing earthquakes, mountains and volcanoes.
 WHAT IS
PLATE TECTONICS ?
 Earth’s
lithosphere
consist of the
crust and the
upper mantle.
• According to the
Plate Tectonic
model, the entire
lithospheres of the
Earth is broken
into segments
called PLATES.
•The plates move very slowly but
constantly, the movement is called
TECTONICS. Thus, the theory of
moving lithospheric plates is called
PLATE TECTONICS.
• One of the consequences of moving plates
is EARTHQUAKE.
• Earthquake releases seismic waves (P, S
and L waves), the first two is used in
detecting the epicenter of the Earthquake
because they travel in the Earth’s surface.
 TRIANGULATION METHOD
This method is used to
detect the epicenter of an
Earthquake by utilizing the
data from THREE
recording stations.
 Steps:
1. Take note of the time difference in the arrival time of the P and
S wave in the recording station.
Example:
Recoding Station Time difference in the Distance of epicenter from
arrival time of the P and S the station
wave (kilometer)
(seconds)

Batangas 44.8

Puerto Princesa 32

Davao 38.4
2. Compute for the distance of the epicenter from the station using the
formula:
d= x100 km
Where:
d= distance (km)
Td= Time difference in the arrival time of P and S wave (seconds)
3. To compute for the distance on the map, multiply the computed
distance of epicenter from the station (km) by the scale of 1.5 cm
then divide the product by 200km.
4. Measure the distance of each of the computed scale (cm) using the ruler to a
drawing compass. Center your compass on the station you have chosen. Draw
a circle. For the improvised compass, tie on the tip of a toothpick at one end of
a ruler with a rubber band, from the toothpick measure the computed distance
(cm) on the ruler and place a pencil tied up with a rubber band and use it as a
drawing compass. Center your compass on the station you have chosen. Draw
a circle. Do the same for the other 2 computed scales.