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Earth Exploration
3
(CE )
Module 2: Introduction to
Earthquakes
Field Notebook
Print Form
Investigation 1: Earthquake Hazards
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 1: Describing Earthquakes
Studying past earthquakes helps scientists understand various earthquake hazards and
what conditions can affect earthquake intensity.
Earthquake Anatomy
Label the epicenter and the hypocenter in the drawing below:
Magnitude relates to the ____________ of ____________ released at the earthquake’s
______________. It is measured using the ______________________________scale.
Intensity is the ____________ of an earthquake’s effect on the earth’s _____________,
______________, and ______________. It is measured using the _______________
scale.
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 1: Describing Earthquakes
Observations
Date of Observations:
What is a hypocenter?
What is an epicenter?
.
What is magnitude?
What is the Moment Magnitude Scale?
What is intensity?
What is the Mercalli Intensity Scale?
What is the difference between earthquake
intensity and magnitude?
What is the difference between subjective and
objective statements?
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 2: Shaanxi, China
Observations
Date of Observations:
Latitude/Longitude:
Country/Continent:
Year of earthquake:
Estimated magnitude:
Estimated death toll:
Type of damage sustained in Huaxian, Weinan,
and Huayin:
Approximate location of epicenter:
What is the distance from Weinan to Huayin
(km):
What is a landslide?
Other notes or observations:
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Folder 2: Shaanxi, China
Interpretations
The Shaanxi earthquake affected people within a 3,154,314.24 square kilometer area (1,960,000
square mile area). If an earthquake of a similar size occurred where you live, which states and
cities would be affected? Hint:
.
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
What level of earthquake intensity was experienced at Huaxian, Weinan, and Huayin? Hint: Refer
to the Mercalli Intensity scale.
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
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Folder 2: Shaanxi, China
Interpretations, cont’d
If you were living in Shaanxi and were caught in an earthquake, would you want to be on a
hillside?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 3: San Francisco, California
Observations
Date of Observations:
Latitude/Longitude:
Country/Continent:
Year of earthquake:
Earthquake magnitude:
Estimated death toll:
Causes of deaths and damage:
What is a fault rupture?
Approximate length of rupture (km):
Approximate horizontal offset (in meters as
shown by the fence in the photo):
Approximate distance from San Francisco to
southern Oregon, Los Angeles, and central
Nevada (km):
Which types of soils shook the most? (You will
need to zoom in to San Francisco to view the
geology overlay.)
Which types of areas shook the least? (You will
need to zoom in to San Francisco to view the
geology overlay.)
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 3: San Francisco, California
Notes
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 3: San Francisco, California
Interpretations
If a rupture of the same length began in your town, what is the largest population center it would
reach?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
Which way does the rupture run in the photo of the fence on the placemark - from right to left, or
from front to back?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 3: San Francisco, California
Interpretations, Cont’d
What happens to earthquake intensity farther and farther away from the epicenter?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
How does the type of soil affect earthquake intensity?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 4: East Indian Ocean
Observations
Date of Observations:
Latitude/Longitude:
Year of earthquake:
Estimated magnitude:
Estimated death toll:
Causes of deaths and damage:
What is a tsunami?
Distance from epicenter earthquake was felt:
Distance from epicenter tsunami was observed:
Distance from epicenter to South Africa:
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 4: East Indian Ocean
Notes
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 4: East Indian Ocean
Interpretations
If you could dive down to the epicenter of the East Indian Ocean earthquake, would you expect to
see a sideways shift in the sea floor, like in San Francisco, or a vertical shift?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
If the tsunami is traveling at 800 km/hr, how long would it have taken the tsunami to reach South
Africa?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 4: East Indian Ocean
Interpretations, Cont’d
If you were caught in a tsunami, would you rather be on a boat above the earthquake epicenter or
on the seashore 200 km away?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
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Going Further 1: Tsunami Preparedness
You are living two blocks from the beach in San Diego, California, and have been notified that
you have ten hours before the tsunami hits. Where would you go and what would you take with
you? Why?
Visit the following USGS tsunami preparedness website to help you with your plans:
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/96/
My tsunami preparation plans:
What difficulties might you encounter if you were living in a small coastal village in India when
the tsunami warning was issued?
What additional problems might you encounter if you were living on the island of Mauritius?
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 5: Haiti
Observations
Date of Observations:
Latitude/Longitude:
Country/Continent:
Year of earthquake:
Estimated death toll:
Type of damage seen in Google Earth? (Hint:
Zoom into the National Palace and surrounding
areas by typing National Palace, Haiti, into your
“Fly to” box
What is a ShakeMap?
Notes
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Folder 5: Haiti
Interpretations
Where did the people in Port-au-Prince live after the earthquake?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
Which would be more helpful, a map showing the MMI values at various seismograph stations or a
shakemap?
Claim:
Evidence:
Reasoning:
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Going Further 2: Population Density
Observations
Date of Observations:
Where do most people in Haiti live?
Compare the highest intensity levels of shaking
with the largest population centers in Haiti and
the Dominican Republic.
What would have happened if the epicenter
had been located in Santo Domingo?
Did the residents of Santo Domingo feel the
earthquake? Why or why not?
Notes
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Investigation Summary
What causes earthquakes?
What types of effects can occur?
What factors affect earthquake magnitude and does it vary from place to place?
How far from the epicenter can these effects be felt by people?
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Module 2: Earthquakes
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Investigation Summary
What factors affect earthquake intensity at any given place?
How can we accurately compare the intensities of earthquakes observed by different people in
different places at different times?
How can we determine what happened at locations where there were no eye-witnesses and no
seismographs?
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