EARTHQUAKES AND THE EARTH
Find out all about earthquakes and seismic waves. You will find out what causes an earthquake, the dramatic effects they have and what they can tell us about the Earth’s deep interior.
Topics we will cover;
Longitudinal and transverse waves
Types and differences between different types of seismic wave.
What creates the S wave shadow zone and evidence for the liquid outer core of the Earth.
The layers and structure of the Earth.
This activity is designed for Key Stage 4 (Years 10 - 11) but everyone is welcome to work through the activities and put their geophysics skills to the test!
You can find and download all the activities below as the part of the Earthquake Activity Pack here.
Earthquakes and Seismic Waves
The surface of the Earth is split up into tectonic plates. These plates move slowly but friction can cause them to stick together at the edges. When these rocks holding the plates in place break, energy is released in the form of seismic waves.
Two types of seismic wave are P waves and S waves.
Want to know more about waves, their properties and how to identify seismic waves? Try the GeoBus Seismic Waves Activity!
How do we measure seismic waves?
Earthquakes are an unpredictable and dangerous natural hazard that affects millions of people.
Scientists that study earthquakes and seismic waves are called seismologists. They use seismometers to detect and measure seismic waves.
Different seismic waves arrive at different times. There are many types of seismic wave (not just P and S) such as surface waves.
Seismograms can be used to not only identify when an earthquake happens, but also where. The time difference between the arrival of P and S waves can be used to locate the epicentre of an earthquake. An epicentre is the point on the surface of the Earth directly above the origin of the earthquake.
Make your own seismometer
Follow the steps in the activity above or instructions below to create your own seismometer using items from your home. Use your seismometer to simulate your own earthquakes and measure them. How large an earthquake can you create?
Use your homemade seismometer to see if you can recreate a real seismogram including P, S and surface waves!
Want to have a go at locating the epicentre of an earthquake? Follow along with the ‘Epicentre of an Earthquake’ activity below (you will need to print out the worksheet, or use a PDF annotation app). Once you have located the epicentre - check back to see if you got it right!
The Structure of the Earth
Our Earth is split up into layers. Seismologists (scientists that study seismic waves) can use seismic waves to identify the layers inside the Earth and distinguish between liquid and solid layers.
P waves are longitudinal waves that travel at different speeds inside the different layers of the Earth. P waves can travel through liquids and solids.
S waves are transverse and cannot travel through liquids.
No S waves are detected the opposite side of the Earth from an earthquake. This is called the S wave shadow zone and is evidence for the Earth’s liquid outer core.
Follow the instructions in the ‘Structure of the Earth’ activity to print and build your own 3D globe. Each red dot represents the location of an earthquake. All the dots outline the boundaries of the tectonic plates, why might there be more earthquakes at these regions?
Looking for an extra challenge and to learn more about seismic phases and paths through the Earth? Have a go at the ‘Trace the Seismic Waves’ GeoBus activity below!
Building a Shake-proof Home
Your final challenge is to create and build your own shake-proof building. Follow the instructions in the activity below to create your own shaking table, construct and test your home-made home!
How to build a shaking table
Other Things To Try!
Eager to learn more about Earth Sciences? Try out our other activities, worksheets, crosswords and more!