Earthquake Unit Computer Lab
Virtual Earthquake
Name: _____________________ Period: ____ Date: _________
Overview/Introduction:
In this activity students go online to visit a website that features online interactive geology.
Virtual Earthquake unlike most websites involves the students in an interactive simulation. You will learn how to read seismograms and plot earthquake locations and magnitudes. You participate by estimating measurements on screen and imputing data. From your careful measurements and estimations you will be able to see how earthquake locations and magnitudes are determined. If you make mistakes you are allowed to go back and try again.
After completing the simulation a personalized "certificate of completion" can be emailed for a grade as proof that you successfully completed the assignment.
Procedure:
1.
Go to - http://www.sciencecourseware.com/eec/earthquake/ using the Internet Explorer or Firefox browser.
2.
Find t-he “ Tutorials” section and complete both the “SP Lagtime” and
“ Latitude/Longitude”.
3.
After completing both tutorials, click “Close Window” and return to the .
4.
Find “Main Activities” and click on “Time Travel”.
5.
Select “Background” tab and read the text in that window. Click on the hyperlinks and watch the demonstrations.
6.
Select “Assignment” next to “Background”. The Background section contains your directions for successful completion of this lab.
7.
Click “Tasks” and open the “Journal” tab
8.
Work through the different steps to complete the Time Travel section.
9.
Find “Main Activities” and click on “Epicenter and Magnitude”.
10.
Complete the “Epicenter and Magnitude” section just as you completed the “Time
Travel” section above.
11.
Email a copy of your certificate of completion to maroonearthspace@gmail.com
Student Discussion Questions:
1.
What do we call:
A. the place within the earth's crust where an earthquake originates?
B. the location on the earth's surface above the origin of an earthquake?

2.
What is the definition of a seismic wave?
3.
Below is a diagram showing the hierarchy of seismic waves. List the characteristics that are used to divide the different types of seismic waves into the classification shown.
SEISMIC WAVES
P WAVES
BODY WAVES
S WAVES
SURFACE WAVES
RAYLEIGH WAVES LOVE WAVES
4.
What two factors affect the speed at which earthquake waves travel?
A.___________________________________________________________________________
B. ___________________________________________________________________________
5.
Why is the difference in arrival time between S and P-type waves important to seismologists?
6.
Explain why reports from 3 seismic stations are needed to determine an earthquakes epicenter. Why are 2 not enough?