Mercalli Scale Illustrated
In this activity, students learn about the Mercalli Scale for rating earthquakes. Also, students make a booklet with drawings that represent each rating of the scale.
Students learn about the Mercalli Scale for rating earthquakes.Copyright http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c7/US_Navy_110320-M-0145H-063_A_large_ferry_boat_rests_inland_amidst_destroyed_houses_after_a_9.0_earthquake_and_subsequent_tsunami_struck_Japan_March.jpg
Engineers often invent scales or systems to use as measurement tools. To protect people from the force of earthquakes, they continually improve the methods used to predict and rate (or score) earthquakes. Rating earthquakes helps engineers determine which ones are going to cause the most damage so they can warn people in advance. With improved engineering technology to predict the size and force of earthquakes, cities and communities have more time to prepare themselves from harm.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Understand the difference between the Richter Scale and the Mercalli Scale for rating earthquakes (a scale that uses instruments and a scale that uses human observation, respectively).
- Explain the different levels of the Mercalli Scale using words or pictures.
- Understand how a community could use the Mercalli Scale.
- Understand why engineers develop rating scales for earthquakes.
- Explain the Mercalli Scale on their own through drawing and writing.