Earthquakes Living Lab: Geology and Earthquakes in Japan
Destruction caused by the 1995 Kobe earthquake.Copyright 1995 Yanagida Kunio, Wikimedia Commons http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Hanshin-Awaji_earthquake_1995_Chuo-ku_Kobe_city_Hyogo_prefecture_001.jpg
Students study how geology relates to the frequency of large-magnitude earthquakes in Japan. Using the online resources provided through the Earthquakes Living Lab, students investigate reasons why large earthquakes occur in this region, drawing conclusions from tectonic plate structures and the locations of fault lines. Working in pairs, students explore the 1995 Kobe earthquake, why it happened and the destruction it caused. Students also think like engineers to predict where other earthquakes are likely to occur and what precautions might be taken. A worksheet serves as a student guide for the activity.
Every year, thousands of people die in earthquakes, and many more lose their homes and communities. Many of these catastrophes may be mitigated, however, by creative engineering. The first step is to determine where earthquakes are likely to occur, and how severe they might be. Large-magnitude earthquakes usually occur near tectonic plate boundaries. Japan is located at the intersection of three tectonic plates, and consequently experiences many high-magnitude earthquakes. Use of the Earthquakes Living Lab gives students the chance to act as engineers, using Japan's geology and its historical 1995 Kobe earthquake to relate earthquakes to engineering.
Scientists and engineers around the globe gather data through observation and experimentation and use it to describe and understand how the world works. The Earthquakes Living Lab gives students the chance to track earthquakes across the planet and examine where, why and how they are occurring. Using the real-world data in the living lab enables students and teachers to practice analyzing data to solve problems and answer questions, in much the same way that scientists and engineers do every day.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Relate how earthquakes and the intersections of tectonic plates correlate.
- Navigate online resources to retrieve information and data.
- Describe the function of geology in predicting earthquakes.
- Explain how engineers use geological and earthquake data.