Energy

Energy: Natural and Potentially Dangerous Heather Palumbo Kaplan University SC300-25: Big Ideas in Science Instructor: Debra Mohler December 6, 2010

Energy Energy: Natural and Potentially Dangerous

Energy can be defined as the ability to do work (Trefil & Hazen, 2010) and is in everything around us. Biological energy involves the radiant energy from the sun that is absorbed by the plant life of the earth and converted into chemical energy needed to sustain the plant and animal life of the earth (Trefil & Hazen, 2010). Geological energy is the potential energy that is trapped in the rock beneath the Earths surface which, when such events as an earthquake occur, is converted into kinetic energy as it is released. Both forms of energy are part of an exothermic process in which energy is released in the form of heat (The msds hyper, 2010). As well, both types of energy appear to cause some type of action to occur upon transfer of energy from one object to another or when the energy converts from one form to another. This can be seen in an earthquake when potential energy is converted to kinetic energy (Trefil & Hazen, 2010). In the United States, most of the earthquakes are centered on the west coast, with California and Alaska having the greatest density. As you move east away from the Californian and Alaskan coasts, the danger level decreases ( " N a t i o n a l s e i s m i c h a z a r d , " 2 0 0 8 ) . In other words, the farther away you move from those areas, the less risk you have of experiencing an earthquake, or even one with a high magnitude. Another red level area of the United States is at the point at which the states of Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Tennessee meet ( " N a t i o n a l s e i s m i c h a z a r d , " 2 0 0 8 ) . Moving out from this intersecting point in any direction the danger level gradually decreases.

Energy The last area of the United States that appears to have a mild concentration of earthquake activity is in the northeast, more particularly the New England area ( " N a t i o n a l s e i s m i c h a z a r d , " 2 0 0 8 ) . It just so happens that my home state of New Hampshire is located in New England. This region of the United States is on the lower end of the danger scale, appearing colored in blue on the USGS interactive map. Globally, it is possible to see that while we have centralized areas in the United States for earthquakes, the global community does as well. The regions of the world most dense with seismic activity include Eastern Asia, islands to the north and east of Australia, as well as the Aleutian Island region off the coast of Alaska, and of course the coast of California ( " L a t e s t e a r t h q u a k e s i n , " 2 0 0 9 ) . From this information, it appears that a great deal of the worlds earthquakes occur in the Pacific Ocean region of the globe ( " L a t e s t e a r t h q u a k e s i n , " 2 0 0 9 ) . One of the most recent earthquakes was one that happened off the eastern coast of the United States on November 30, 2010 ( " L a t e s t e a r t h q u a k e s i n , " 2 0 0 9 ) . This specific earthquake had a magnitude of 3.9, and could be felt at some of the coastal areas in that region. Living in one of the red areas, or more danger prone areas of the United States would be a choice of last resort for me personally. No matter where a person lives, that individual must deal with the weather of that area, or region. However, if I had to choose, I would rather deal with the cold and the snow of the northeast than with the earthquakes of say California. If, though, I was forced to relocate to such an area, I would certainly want to be prepared.

Luckily, earthquakes have been researched and studied so much that there are documented steps one can take to better prepare for an earthquake. A person or family should make sure to have emergency supplies such as water, non-perishable food items, blankets, flash lights, something to cook with such as a camp stove, and a first-aid kit are among the most important, as

Energy well as any important medications that any family members might be on. Also, having a battery-

operated portable radio and a supply of batteries is critical for hearing the latest updates and rescue efforts. It is a good idea to keep a fire extinguisher on hand too, and bags for waste disposal if necessary. Taking these steps can be a great way to keep ones family safe.

Energy Over time, there have been many destructive earthquakes that have caused not only an

immense amount of damage, but also the loss of many lives. Two such earthquakes have occurred around the world in recent years. In 2008, in Eastern Sichuan province of China, an astounding 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck on May 12. This earthquake caused the deaths of 87,587 people. Most recently, and one that is current in the minds of many Americans today, is the earthquake that struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. While this earthquake was smaller than the one in China, being a 7.0 magnitude, the damage was much more severe. The small nation of Haiti is still trying to rebuild and they are likely still recovering from the outrageous 222,570 lives lost as a result of the quake. While scientists have yet to find any exact method of predicting earthquakes, they have found ways to help to better prepare people in earthquake prone regions. Having the supplies on hand mentioned can be a big step in the right direction. Other tools are also being created to aide communities. A Shake Map is one such tool, and is a device created to take readings about the intensity of the shaking caused by an earthquake. This is done by several devices placed at various locations that are being affected by the earthquake. In combination with the Shake Map, is an online application called Shake Cast. This is a program that currently runs on the California Department of Transportation website and uses the Shake Map to provide information to communities affected by an earthquake. Another important tool is that of the USGS Earthquake Notification Service. This is a service which sends out emails to various emergency responders as well as civilian subscribers regarding earthquakes. Within five minutes of an earthquake in the United States, an email is sent out, and for a global quake, the emails are sent within thirty minutes. This helps people to be informed of what is going on around them, or in areas where they might have loved ones. Lastly, there is PAGER, or Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for

Energy Response. This system also utilizes Shake Map and combines it with population databases to better provide emergency response crews with accurate data concerning the potential severity of the earthquake. All in all, earthquakes can be very dangerous phenomena that occur around the world. Scientists know what cause them, but have yet to determine a way to predict when one will strike,

or where. If we educate ourselves and those around us how to be prepared for such an occurrence, then we all stand a better chance of surviving one should it hit.

Energy References Earthquake facts. (2009, October 27). Retrieved from http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/facts.php Earthquakes with 50,000 or more deaths. (2010, March 29). Retrieved from http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/world/most_destructive.php Faqs - earthquake preparedness. (2009, October 27). Retrieved from http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/faq/?categoryID=14 Latest earthquakes in the world - past 7 days. (2009, November 10). Retrieved from http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/recenteqsww/ National seismic hazard maps-2008. (2008, ). Retrieved from http://gldims.cr.usgs.gov/nshmp2008/viewer.htm Pellerin, C. (2010, January 18). Tools to better understand earthquakes. Retrieved from http://www.afrik-news.com/article16792.html Trefil, J, & Hazen, R. (2010). The sciences: an integrated approach. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Wald, L. (2009, October 27). The science of earthquakes. Retrieved from http://earthquake.usgs.gov/learn/kids/eqscience.php