Earthquakes

Question 1

What are earthquakes

Answer 1

Earthquakes are sudden tremors or vibrations in the Earth’s crust.

Question 2

How do earthquakes occur

Answer 2

When plates are pressing against (colliding with) or sliding past each other, there can be a build-up of pressure along the fault line. When the plates move, the sudden release of pressure results in an earthquake.

Question 3

What is the focus

Answer 3

The point beneath the surface where the earthquake happens

Question 4

What is the epicentre

Answer 4

The point on the surface directly above the focus is called the epicentre. The tremors or vibrations are strongest here and they reduce in strength the farther away you move from the epicentre. Therefore, the greatest damage occurs close to the epicentre.

Question 5

What are aftershocks

Answer 5

The smaller tremors that follow an earthquake are called aftershocks.

Question 6

What is the person who measures an earthquake callled

Answer 6

seismologist.

Question 7

What instruments to seismologist. Use

Answer 7

seismographs to measure tremors in the Earth’s crust.

Question 8

What is used to show the strength of the earthquake

Answer 8

The Richter scale,

Question 9

Damaged cause by earthquake 4 things

Answer 9

There is loss of life.
Buildings are damaged or collapse
Damage to electricity lines or gas pipelines may cause fires.
Damage to sewers and water supplies may cause the spread of disease.

Question 10

What did the earthquake In Japan measure on the Richter scale

Answer 10

8.9

Question 11

When did the earthquake in Japan occur

Answer 11

hit Japan on 11 March, 2011

Question 12

What did the earthquake cause

Answer 12

it caused a powerful tsunami that reached heights of over 40 metres. More than 130,000 buildings collapsed and a further million buildings were damaged. Fifteen thousand people died and 4.4 million households in northern Japan were left without electricity and water. The earthquake and tsunami also damaged a nuclear power plant.

Question 13

3 short term responses for earthquakes

Answer 13

Temporary camps were set up for the people left homeless
Emergency rescue teams searched for survivors and recovered thousands of bodies.
Other countries offered emergency aid.

Question 14

3 long term responses of earthquakes

Answer 14

• Electricity and water supplies were restored.
• Roads and airports were repaired.
• Houses and other buildings were repaired or rebuilt.

Question 15

What was the total cost after the earthquake

Answer 15

The total cost was estimated at around €230 billion.

Question 16

2 ways on how the reduce earthquake damage

Answer 16

• Conduct earthquake and tsunami drills so people will know what to do if an earthquake occurs.
• Put early-warning systems in place to alert people to the possibility of a tsunami following an earthquake.

Question 17

What are Sliding plates

Answer 17

Plates that slide past each other have passive boundaries. Crust is neither created nor destroyed.
These plates are locked together and then release a huge amount of energy when they slide past each other. Sliding plates cause earthquakes and fault lines.