Earthquake Anatomy and Tectonic Plate Boundaries By Rachel

Earthquake Anatomy and Tectonic Plate Boundaries By: Rachel Bitler Marisa Congelio Janet D’Souza

Earthquake • A sudden motion of trembling of the Earth • Caused by the abrupt release of energy that is stored in rocks

Elements of an Earthquake cse. ssl. berkeley. edu/. . . / Quakes. Eng 3. html

Seismic Waves (travel through rocks) • Travel inside the Earth and carry energy from focus to surface – P wave (like a slinkly-> moves parallel to wave direction) • Travels through air, liquid, and solid – S wave (like rope on wall-> moves perpendicular to wave direction) • Move only through solids • Radiate from the epicenter along the Earth’s surface – Travel more slowly than body waves – Two occur simultaneously: up-and-down rolling motion and a side-to-side vibration earthquake. usgs. gov/ image_glossary/bodywave. html

Measurement of Seismic Waves • Seismograph: a device that records seismic waves – Pen remains still as paper (and ground) moves up and down • Seismogram: the record of the Earth’s vibration www. seismo. unr. edu/. . . / 100/seismic-waves. html

Earthquake Strength • Mercalli scale measures the amount of structural damage • Richter scale measures the amount of energy released during the earthquake http: //library. thinkquest. org/03 oct/01428/earthquake 1 en. html#Intensity

Locating the Source of an Earthquake: the time-travel curve http: //www. gly. fsu. edu/~salters/GLY 1000/Chapter 4/Slide 20. jpg

Plate boundaries http: //www. scarborough. k 12. me. us/wis/teachers/dtewhey/webquest/nature/images/Tectonic%20 plate%20 bou ndaries. gify. thinkquest. org/03 oct/01428/earthquake 1 en. html

Plate Boundaries • Transform (San Andreas Fault Zone) – When plates move horizontally past one another http: //jove. geol. niu. edu/faculty/fischer/105_info/105_E_notes/lecture_n otes/Plate_Tectonics/PT_part 4. html

Plate Boundaries • Convergent (Himalayas) – When plates move together http: //jove. geol. niu. edu/faculty/fischer/105_info/105_E_notes/lecture_notes/Pla te_Tectonics/PT_images/Everest. jpg

Plate Boundaries • Divergent (East African Rift) – When plates move apart http: //atlas. geo. cornell. edu/education/instructor/topography/images/east_africa_rift_lg. gif