IRIS Earth Science Week - SeisMac

This Website was developed to accompany the 2007-2008 Earth Science Week (www.earthsciweek.org/) Activity Calendar, specifically the January 2008 activity titled “Take the Pulse of Your Classroom by providing a full version of the activity in the calendar and an accompanying extension activity”.

SeisMac is a free Mac OS X application that will turn a MacBook or MacBook Pro into a three-axis seismograph.  SeisMac makes use of the laptop’s Sudden Motion Sensor to display real-time acceleration data (seismograms), whether generated by an actual earthquake or by the user (such as tapping on the table on which the laptop is sitting).  SeisMac is also compatible with older iBooks and PowerBooks as long as they are equipped with a Sudden Motion Sensor. 

Having a functioning seismograph in the classroom provides students with the opportunity to collect and interpret real-time seismology data.   Through seismology, teachers can introduce or expand on fundamental concepts about earth science, physics, and mathematics. Specifically SeisMac presents a unique opportunity for Earth science teachers make stronger connections between the rather abstract content of seismology and student's experiences. While the effect will be especially pronounced for those in seismically inactive areas, the activities provide students in seismically active areas with a controlled environment for observation. Thus the goal of these two activities is to "create" experiences for students that can serve as a foundation as students build a framework of understanding.

Download SeisMac here:
http://www.suitable.com/tools/seismac.html

SeisMac Activities

SeisMac Activity I:

“Take the pulse of your classroom using SeisMac!”

.doc version

.pdf version

1. Describe the information contained in a three-component seismogram
2. Identify the first S and P waves on a three-component seismogram.
3. Describe how first S and P wave arrivals provide evidence for the curved path seismic waves take when they travel through the Earth

SeisMac software installed on a Mac laptop

Earthquake video clip(QuickTime) – 1995 Kobe 7.2M

Sample three-component seismograms, or if you prefer, you can download a three-component seismogram from a recent event via the Rapid Earthqauke Viewer

SeisMac Activity II:

How “hard” does an Earthquake shake?

.doc version

.pdf version

1. How hard does the Earth shake during an earthquake?
2. What does an accelerometer measure? How can it be used to measure an earthquake?
3. What is an earthquakes intensity?
4. How is an earthquakes intensity measured?

SeisMac software installed on a Mac laptop

Download video footage of two-story house being tested by a simulated earthquake on a shake table at the University of California at San Diego on July 11, 2000; Kitchen/Office(5.3MB) and Child's Bedroom(4.1MB) from

For more seismology related activities, check out the Demonstrations and Activites page.

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