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EARTH

QUAKE
 The movement of Earth’s crust resulting from the
release of built up potential energy between two
stuck tectonic plates
 An earthquake (also known as
a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the
surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden
release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that
creates seismic waves
 The seismicity, or seismic activity, of an area is
the frequency, type, and size of earthquakes
experienced over a period of time. The
word tremor is also used for non-earthquake
seismic rumbling
Causes of Earthquake: fault movement
releases energy as seismic waves radiating
from rupture

Seismic waves
 P waves - P stands for primary
 These waves arrive first
 Move with a push pull motion
 S waves - S stands for secondary
 These waves arrive second
 Move with a side-to side motion
 Surface waves - slowest
 Cause the most damage
 Move with an up and down and side- to side
motion
• You need at least 3 seismic stations to
locate an epicenter
• The P and S waves help determine
where the epicenter is located
• Where all three circles meet is the
location of the epicenter
• The farther you are from the epicenter, they
greater the S-P Interval (the time between when
the P wave hits and the S wave hits
 By definition: A point
on Earth’s surface that
is directly above the
focus of an
earthquake, where the
shaking is strongest and
most damage occurs
 Focus is a point below Earth’s surface where
the rock breaks along a fault and energy is
released
 A fault is a region on Earth’s surface that is
broken into 2 pieces
 There can be three types of movement
 Four types of earthquake:
A. Tectonic earthquake is one that occurs when the
earth's crust breaks due to geological forces on rocks
and adjoining plates that cause physical and chemical
changes.
D. Volcanic earthquake is any earthquake that results
from tectonic forces which occur in conjunction with
volcanic activity.
C. Collapse earthquake are small earthquakes in
underground caverns and mines that are caused by
seismic waves produced from the explosion of rock
on the surface.
D. Explosion earthquake is an earthquake that is the
result of the detonation of a nuclear and/or chemical
device
 A fault is a region on Earth’s surface that is
broken into 2 pieces
 Three types of faults:
A. Normal faults form when the hanging wall
drops down. The forces that create normal faults
are pulling the sides apart, or extensional.
B. Reverse faults form when the hanging wall
moves up. The forces creating reverse faults are
compressional, pushing the sides together .
C. Transcurrent or Strike-slip faults have walls
that move sideways, not up or down.

 Shaking and ground rupture
Shaking and ground rupture are the main
effects created by earthquakes, principally
resulting in more or less severe damage to
buildings and other rigid structures
 Soil liquefaction
Soil liquefaction occurs when, because of the
shaking, water-saturated granular material (such
as sand) temporarily loses its strength and
transforms from a solid to a liquid. Soil
liquefaction may cause rigid structures, like
buildings and bridges, to tilt or sink into the
liquefied deposits.
 Human impacts
An earthquake may cause injury and loss
of life, road and bridge damage,
general property damage, and collapse or
destabilization (potentially leading to future
collapse) of buildings
 Landslides
Earthquakes can produce slope instability
leading to landslides, a major geological
hazard.
 Before an earthquake:
Prepare a disaster preparedness kit.
Have an emergency evacuation plan.
Anchor heavy objects and potential falling hazards. (bookcases, wall units,
mirrors, cabinets, etc.)
Know emergency telephone numbers.
 During an earthquake:
Stay calm.
If inside: stand in a doorway or crouch beside a desk or table.
If outside: stand away from buildings, trees, telephone, and electrical lines.
If on the road: drive away from underpasses and overpasses; stop in a safe
area, stay in between vehicles or between sturdy furniture.
 After an earthquake:
Check for injuries and provide first aid.
Do a safety check: check for gas, water, downed power lines and shortages.
Turn off appropriate utilities; Check for damage.
Turn on the radio and listen for instructions on safety or recovery actions.
Use the telephone for emergencies only.

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