Earthquakes

Question 1

What is an earthquake?

Answer 1

It is a sudden, often violent, shaking of the ground that can cause cracks in the Earth’s surface and make buildings collapse

Question 2

What do we use to measure earthquakes?

Answer 2

We use the Richter scale to measure the magnitude (strength) of an earthquake

Question 3

Earthquakes between _______ and _______ on the Richter scale cause a lot of damage.

Answer 3

6 and 9

Question 4

What causes earthquakes?

Answer 4

Firstly, they can be linked to volcanic eruptions. Earthquakes are quite common in areas of volcanic activity where they either come before or go with eruptions.
Secondly the movement of tectonic plates can trigger earthquakes.

Question 5

The places where the plates meet are breaks in the Earth’s crust called…

Answer 5

Faults

Question 6

How does the movement of tectonic plates cause earthquakes?

Answer 6

When the plates collide or when the edges along their faults get stuck together as the slide past each other. This results in stress (or tension) building up along the fault lines. When the rocks fracture or break loose, this tension is released as energy (seismic waves) that moves through the Earth as waves, which we feel and call an earthquake

Question 7

What is the point within the Earth where an earthquake starts called?

Answer 7

The hypocentre or focus

Question 8

What is the hypocentre or focus?

Answer 8

The point within the Earth wjere the earthquake starts

Question 9

What is the point on the Earth’s surface vertically above the hypocentre?

Answer 9

The epicentre

Question 10

What is the epicentre?

Answer 10

The point on the Earth’s surface vertically above the hypocentre

Question 11

What effects can earthquakes have on the lives of people?

Answer 11

Injury, death, diseases, displacement and poverty

Question 12

How do earthquakes cause diseases?

Answer 12

Living conditions are usually unhygienic after an earthquake because earthquakes can cause damage to water supplies and sewage systems. The water can then become contaminated and people can become infected with waterborne diseases, such as Cholera. Good can also become contaminated

Question 13

How can earthquakes cause displacement?

Answer 13

Strong earthquakes destroy people’s homes and many services, such as shops, schools qnd hospitals. Many businesses and factories can also be damaged. In this situation, after an earthquake, many people do not have houses to live in or schools and hospitals they can go to. They do not have any work. These people are then forced to leave their home area to find a new place where they can live, go to school and work

Question 14

How can earthquakes cause poverty?

Answer 14

People can lose their houses and all their possessions in an earthquake. Sometimes the person earning most of the money for the family is injured or killed. When many workplaces are destroyed in an earthquake, people will not have jobs and cannot earn money

Question 15

How can earthquakes cause fires?

Answer 15

During a strong earthquake, the earth shakes violently. This can cause oil and gas pipes to burst and high-voltage powerlines yo topple over. When these powerlines toppl3 over, the damaged electrical wiring can ignite leaked oil and gas fe the burst pipes. This results in very large, strong fires that can burn for many days

Question 16

What are tsunamis and what ard they caused by?

Answer 16

A tsunami is a series of great sea waves cause by an underwater earthquake, landslide or volcanic eruption. They send waves racing across the ocean that hit the coast with strong force and then wash over the coastal areas.

Question 17

Where do most injuries and deaths caused by earthquakes happen?

Answer 17

In areas where houses are not well built and are close together; there are no early warning systems that allow people to evacuate their homes; and there are not good disaster management plans to help rescue people

Question 18

What can communities do to prepare for earthquakes?

Answer 18

Early warning systems
Disaster management plans and practice drills
Building standards
Family plans

Question 19

What are early warning systems?

Answer 19

Systems that use special equipment to monitor seismic activity so that they can detect the early signsnof an earthquake. Countries like Mexico qnd Japan have set up early warning systems

Question 20

What is meant by disaster management plans and practice drills?

Answer 20

Some cities have disaster management plans that inform people what to do if an earthquake occurs. These plans include evacuation and rescue plans. They also have practice drills where they pretend an earthquake has struck and then practice what they must do should a real one strike

Question 21

What is meant by building standards?

Answer 21

All communities living in quake zones should make sure their buildings are constructed according to the proper standards. Infrastructure should also be protected against earthquakes

Question 22

What is meant by family plans?

Answer 22

Every family should have a disaster management plan. It should include what to do if an earthquake strikes when you are in the house, an evacuation route and a place where you can all meet if you are separated during the earthquake

Question 23

What should you do if you are in a building when an earthquake strikes?

Answer 23

. Choose the closest safe place to drop, cover and hold-on
. Wait in your safe place until the shaking stops
. Check to see if you are hurt. If you are not hurt, check the people around you. Move carefully and watch out for live electrical wires, brocken glass and sharp pieces of metal
. Look out for fires
. If you must leave a building after the shaking stops, use the stairs, not the lift. It could easily become stuck and yoy will then be trapped

Question 24

What should you do if you are outside when an earthquake strikes?

Answer 24

. Stay outside and move away from buildings, trees, street poles and powerlines. Most injuries after an earthquake are from collapsing walls, flying glass and falling objects
. Crouch down and cover your head. Many injuries occur when bricks, roofing and other materials fall from buildings onto people

Question 25

What should you do if you are in a vehicle when an earthquake strikes?

Answer 25

. Stop as soon as it is safe to, and stay in the vehicle. Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, bridges and electricity wires
. Drive away carefully when the earthquake has stopped. Avoid roads, bridges or ramps that might have been damaged