NAME ________________________________________ DATE _________________________ Pd_______
EARTHQUAKES Chapter 28
Earthquakes are frightening and often dangerous trembling of Earth. Seismologists, scientists who study earthquakes, note that certain areas are earthquake-prone and likely to have damaging disturbances of Earth’s crust. The risk of such disturbances in these areas is great because they lie over active geologic faults. Maps that pinpoint earthquakes all over the world show that the world’s greatest seismic belt borders the Pacific Ocean. Every state in the United States, however, has had at least one earthquake of varying destructiveness. Seismologists believe that most earthquakes indicate active faults. Thus, once an earthquake has occurred, another may be possible. Ref: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/top_states.php
Procedure:
1.
Choose a color to represent each of the risk zones in the legend of the map on page 3.
2.
Color the squares of the map legend to match the color chosen for each zone.
3.
Plot the data from Table 28-1 on the map.
4.
Simply write the total number of earthquakes on the state. The number in parenthesis is part of existing total you do not have to write that down.
5.
Color each state according to the legend you created.
1.
What region(s) have the most damaging earthquakes been concentrated? (North, East, South, West)
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2.
Which states have least number of damaging earthquakes? ________________________________
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3.
Do you think the states that have 0 earthquakes have ever had any earthquakes? ___________________
3b.Why are they not in this data? ________________________________________________________
4.
Judging from this map along what do most earthquakes occur? ______________________________
4b. What makes that area prone to more earthquakes? ________________________________________
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5.
What does a large concentration of damaging earthquakes in one particular region indicate about the underlying rock structure of that area?
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6.
According to this map which states are in the top 5 for number of earthquakes? Order most to least.
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7.
If you were going to predict an earthquake, which states would say are going to have more earthquakes?
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8.
In which state is earthquake risk highest? _______________________________________________
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9.
After having completed this risk map of the United States take the time to look at it and a write brief overview of what it tells you.
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10.
Does knowing this information influence you in any way about where you live or might want to live? Why?
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11.
Can you be sure that an earthquake could not occur in any area? ___________________________________
Why? ___________________________________________________________________________
12.
Why is a seismic risk map useful? ___________________________________________________________
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13.
Why do you think three states in the northern plains have not had a major earthquake?
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14.
Name the three states where the earthquake risk is the least.
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Table 28-1 This table contains earthquake data of magnitude 3.5 and above for the last 10 years, A high intensity earthquake is an earthquake over 5, you do not have to do anything with the high intensity, (number).
State
Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Damaging
Earthquakes recorded
8
3113 (8)
32
18
1953 (6)
24
1
2
4
8
1034 (2).
140
17
11
0
6
13 (1)
4
State
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Damaging
Earthquakes
Recorded
9
2
8 (1)
2
0
3
19 (2)
95 (3)
3
190 (4)
0
4
38
8 (1)
3
0
State
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Damaging
Earthquakes
Recorded
9 (1)
4
55
1
0
11 (1)
1
9
8 (1)
75 (2)
0
4
150 (2)
3
1
100
(Revised and edited by D. Lester industries 4-05-10)