Earthquakes Rock!
Figure 1. Extreme road damage from a 6.8 earthquake near Olympia, WA.Copyright Washington Department of Transportation http:// www.wsdot.wa.gov/
Students learn the two main methods to measure earthquakes, the Richter Scale and the Mercalli Scale. Students are challenged by the associated activities to make a model of a seismograph—a measuring device that records an earthquake on a seismogram. As well as to investigate which structural designs are most likely to survive an earthquake. And, they illustrate an informational guide to the Mercalli Scale.
Civil, structural, mechanical and materials engineers make sure the structures we rely upon are built strong enough to keep us safe. To reduce the number of human injuries and casualties, they research and test new and improved techniques and materials that help structures withstand the tremendous earthquake forces. For example, engineers have developed shock absorbers and structure sliders—techniques that isolate the foundation of a building from the ground so the building and the earth move independently. They also create monitoring equipment to predict and measure earthquakes and warn surrounding communities.
After this lesson, students should be able to:
- Describe how humans are affected by earthquakes.
- Explain the distribution and causes of earthquakes that shape/change the Earth.
- Understand why engineers need to learn about earthquakes.
- Identify cause-effect relationships involved in earthquakes.