Earthquakes

Question 1

What causes Earthquakes?

Answer 1

The movement of tectonic plate and various faults produces vibrations through the earths crust.

Question 2

What is the focus?

Answer 2

The exact point where the Earthquake originates in the crust.

Question 3

What is the Epicenter?

Answer 3

The point on earths service directly above the focus, where the damage is usually worse.

Question 4

What are seismic waves?

Answer 4

The vibrations that travel through the earths crust.

Question 5

What are primary and secondary waves?

Answer 5

Primary and secondary waves travel from the focus to the earths surface and these are usually on detected with a seismograph.

Question 6

What are L-waves?

Answer 6

These are land waves that travel through the epicenter outwards at the earths surface. These waves create the most damage.

Question 7

What is a tsunami?

Answer 7

A wave that forms when an earthquake occurs within the oceans crust. They can travel up to 800km/hr.

Question 8

What does the Richter scale measure?

Answer 8

A scale that ranks the magnitude of an earthquake. The numbers range from 1-9 with each number being 10 times stronger than the previous number.

Question 9

What is a seismograph?

Answer 9

The instrument that detects seismic wave.

Question 10

What is a seismogram?

Answer 10

The image or graph produced showing the intensity of an earthquake.

Question 11

What is a satellite data?

Answer 11

Records the surface temperature on earth may show where magma reaches the surface, indicating where tectonic plates are unstable.

Question 12

How can an earthquake be predicted?

Answer 12

Satellite data, strange animal behavior and tsunami warnings.

Question 13

What are some factors effecting the death rate?

Answer 13

• more people die in the focus and epicenter I of an earthquake is close to a dens.y populated area.
• poorly trained rescue teams who will not be able to get to injured people in time.
• places closer to ocean are likely to experience more damage caused by flooding associated with tsunami.

Question 14

What are some environmental effects of earthquakes?

Answer 14

• plants and animals die.
• Sea water contaminates soil preventing plant growth.
• Tsunamis flood costal regions.

Question 15

What are some social effects of earthquakes?

Answer 15

• people or injured/die
• people are left homeless.
• looting and crime because of desperation.

Question 16

What are economic effects of earthquakes?

Answer 16

Rebuilding infrastructure costly
LEDCs have to rely on external financial assistance and relief aid.

Question 17

How can the effects of an earthquake be reduced?

Answer 17

Government need to have an effective evacuation plan in place
Improve the tracking and detecting of seismic waves
Educate and inform citizens on how to respond during an emergency.