Description
To understand Plate Tectonic processes on the Earth, and to better understand where future earthquakes are likely to occur, it is important to know how to locate earthquakes as they occur. In this activity students use recent, three-component seismic data to locate a global earthquake.
Audience
Grades 5 to 12
Time
Approximately 1 hour
Objective
By the end of this activity, the student will be able to:
1. Identify P and S waves on seismograms,
2. Determine the distance of an epicenter from a seismic station using travel time curves,
3. Locate the epicenter of an earthquake by triangulation, and
4. Calculate the time of origin of an earthquake based on seismic data
Supporting Resources
- Full version of activity (.pdf version - 20 MB) (.doc version - 5MB)
- Slideshow for use in class (.zip folder containing presentation and .mov file - 7 MB)
- Fetch recent seismic data for use with the activity from the Rapid Earthquake Viewer
- Useful Annimations
Extras
- "How are earthquakes located?" - Background information and links to short video lectures that help understand the method the triangulation method
- Interactive travel time curve allows you to model their use on the screen for students to easily see. An interactive Flash animation eveloped by Charles Burrows
