Name: _____________________________
Block: ____
Virtual Earthquakes: Go to the following website.
http://www.sciencecourseware.org/virtualearthquake/VQuakeExecute.html?x=145&y=69
1. Summarize “What’s an Earthquake?”
2. Describe the characteristics of P waves and S waves
3. List the important aspects when reading a seismogram
4. How can the epicenter be found using a seismogram?
5. Pick an earthquake. List it here: _______________________________
6. Click Submit Choice. Read Measuring the S-P Interval. Then click view seismograms.
7. Estimate the S-P Interval (seconds)
a. Seismogram 1 estimation: _________ seconds
b. Seismogram 2 estimation: _________ seconds
c. Seismogram 3 estimation: _________ seconds
8. Click Convert S-P interval
9. Read Determining the Earthquake Distance
10. Determine Distance from the S-P interval
a. Epicentral Distance 1: _________ km
b. Epicentral Distance 2: _________ km
c. Epicentral Distance 3: _________ km
11. Click Find Epicenter. Read Triangulation of the Epicenter. Click Compute Richter Magnitude
12. Read Richter Magnitude. Define magnitude
13. Click go to next page. Read The Richter Nomogram. Click go to next page.
14. Read Richter Magnitude. Measure the amplitudes of each seismograph.
a. Amplitude 1: ___________ mm
b. Amplitude 2: ___________ mm
c. Amplitude 3: ___________ mm
15. Click Submit to Nomogram
16. Estimate the Richter Magnitude :____________
17. Click Confirm Magnitude
18. What was the actual estimated magnitude? :____________