General Instructions
1. Please place your school name and team number at the top of your Excel and Word files.
2. Please name your files (school name).xls and (school name).doc. Save your work regularly as
instructed.
3. Your Excel file should include both a spreadsheet data table and a Lines on 2 Axes chart as
described above. Your Word file needs to include only the answers and URLs for each of the five
questions.
4. Reference materials and calculators are not permitted. You may use blank scrap paper to organize
your work.
5. This is a two-person event. Absolutely no external communication with others (e-mail, chat, forums,
etc.).
6. Please raise your hand if you have a technical problem or question on the event.
7. Please speak in a low tone with your partner. Let’s keep the noise level down.
8. When you are done, please save your files, print your work, and hand in your diskette. GOOD
LUCK!
Background:
An earthquake (also known as a tremor or temblor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the
Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes are recorded with a seismometer, also known as a
seismograph. The moment magnitude of an earthquake is conventionally reported, or the related and
mostly obsolete Richter magnitude, with magnitude 3 or lower earthquakes being mostly imperceptible
and magnitude 7 causing serious damage over large areas.
Graphical Problem
In California there has been a lot of earthquakes over the past ten years. Some of these earthquakes
have caused lots of damage and some deaths. Your job is going to be to see how many earthquakes
were recorded in the years 2000-2008 that were 5.0-5.9 on the Richter scale.
Please plot this data in MS Excel using a column graph format. The x-axis of your chart should represent
the different years. The y-axis should represent the number of earthquakes that accrued that year.
Please remember to include a title above your chart, label each axis carefully, and include a legend at the
bottom of your chart.
Short Answer Questions
In Microsoft Word, please provide the answer and associated URL for each of the following questions.
Official nasa.gov web sites should be referenced. Please note that some questions require two separate
answers, and complete sentences are NOT required.
1. How many estimated deaths in the last 10 years in the United States due to earthquakes?
2. How many earthquakes have happened over the past 10 years that have been above 8.0 on the
Richter scale in the United States?
3. How many earthquakes have happened over the past 10 years that have been between 7.0-7.9
on the Richter scale in the United States?
4. How many earthquakes have happened over the past 10 years that have been between 0.1-0.9
on the Richter scale in the United States?
5. How many total earthquakes have occurred in from 2000-2008?
6. In 2002 what was the where was the largest Earthquake in the United States located, and what
was it’s reading on the Richter scale?
7. In your own words describe marsh dieback
8. The USGS has collected and analyzed water-quality data in Ohio since_____________?
9. Why do national parks use controlled fires?
10. In 1992 what Hurricane caused great damage to the wetlands of Florida and Louisiana?
11. In what national park the volcano is Haleakala?
12. What state is Haleakala located?
13. What is the latitude and longitude of Yellowstone National park?
14. What is the biggest earthquake in the United States?
15. What was the biggest earthquakes magnitude
16. Has the inflated plain of Yellowstone national park been growing recently?
17. What is the annual loss of Louisiana wetlands annually? (in square kilometers)
18. What is believed the cause of the loss of Louisiana’s wetlands?
19. How tall is the volcano Mauna Loa from the sea floor? (in meters)