Earthquakes By Haley Z Q what are Earthquakes

Earthquakes By: Haley Z.

Q: what are Earthquakes? • A: Earthquakes are the Earth's natural means of releasing stress. When the Earth's plates move against each other, stress is put on the lithosphere. When this stress is great enough, the lithosphere breaks or shifts. Imagine holding a pencil horizontally. If you were to apply a force to both ends of the pencil by pushing down on them, you would see the pencil bend. After enough force was applied, the pencil would break in the middle, releasing the stress you have put on it. The Earth's crust acts in the same way. As the plates move they put forces on themselves and each other. When the force is large enough, the crust is forced to break. When the break occurs, the stress is released as energy which moves through the Earth in the form of waves, which we feel and call an earthquake.

Q: Where do Earthquakes occur most often? • You will find that most places around a volcano, a fault line, or plate boundary are more prone to earthquakes. There a total of fifteen plates on the earth. Each of these plates is constantly moving. When plates collide it’s called a convergent boundary. When to plates travel away from each other its call divergent boundary. When two plates slide past each other it’s called a transform fault.

Q: How likely is your area to experience an Earthquake? • Most Hoosiers, and other residents of the American Midwest, don't think much about earthquakes. After all, all of the earthquakes we hear about are in California, Japan, Italy, or other far away places. Make no mistake, some of the biggest and most devastating earthquakes in North American history were right here. And, by many accounts, big earthquakes are due again. Now, we may be offered some buffer here in south-central Indiana because we sit on beds of Oolitic limestone. But, even that is limited security in the case of earthquakes having a Richter Scale score above 8. 0. .

Safety plan • • Choose a safe place in every room--under a sturdy table or desk or against an inside wall where nothing can fall on you. Practice DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON at least twice a year. Drop under a sturdy desk or table, hold on, and protect your eyes by pressing your face against your arm. If there's no table or desk nearby, sit on the floor against an interior wall away from windows, bookcases, or tall furniture that could fall on you. Teach children to DROP, COVER, AND HOLD ON! Choose an out-of-town family contact. Consult a professional to find out additional ways you can protect your home, such as bolting the house to its foundation and other structural mitigation techniques. Take a first aid class from your local Red Cross chapter. Keep your training current. Get training in how to use a fire extinguisher from your local fire department. • Inform babysitters and caregivers of your plan. • •

Earthquake risk area in Indiana

Earthquakes and Volcanoes affect many peoples lives

President letter President of the United State Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington D. C. 20500 Dear Mr. President I am very pleased you have taken the time from your busy schedule to read my report. Below you will find information on earthquakes as you requested. Most earthquakes have been occurring around mainly the North American Plate Also many have occurred around the Ring of Fire. Most earthquakes are more likely to occur at plate boundaries. The plates smash and grind against each other sometimes causing earthquakes. You will find that most places around a volcano, a fault line, or plate boundary are more prone to earthquakes. There a total of fifteen plates on the earth. Each of these plates is constantly moving. When plates collide it’s called a convergent boundary. When to plates travel away from each other its call divergent boundary. When two plates slide past each other it’s called a transform fault. Yes there is a close relationship between volcanoes and earthquakes. When two plates collide and form a convergent boundary then thicker layer is forced under the other plate. This is a subduction zone. As the plate travels deeper into the earth’s interior it gets hotter and melts. After it melts it forms magma, since the magma will be less dense than its surroundings it will be forced upward. When it reaches the earth’s surface it forms a volcano. Also since these plates are smashing and colliding into each other earthquakes occur. Basically volcanoes from usually around where many