Name: ________________________
Period: ____
Computer #:_____
Virtual Earthquake LAB 2
Rev: 2/23/12
Pre-Lab Set Up
*Open word.
*Include the following as a header: FIRST & LAST NAME, PERIOD.
*Add the following title: Virtual Earthquake Lab 2
*Divide your page into four sections, each titled as the following: San Francisco, Southern
California, Japan, Mexico. As you complete your lab, you will copy your data tables to each
section.
*Save the file in your “U” drive or “E Storage” using the following file name: EQLab2
*Keep this file open during the lab so you can copy and paste your completion
certificates as you complete the lab.
*When you finish all four labs, you will print this document to turn in.
1. Go to the following website:
http://www.sciencecourseware.org/VirtualEarthquake/VQuakeExecute.html
*Be sure to type exactly as you see it….even the http and capital letters matter.
there is a link on the science website under Learning PlansChapter 11.
To make it easier,
2. Please complete the steps which follow. During this activity, you will submit the following:
1. Virtual Earthquake Certificate—San Francisco Area
2. Virtual Earthquake Certificate—Southern California
3. Virtual Earthquake Certificate—Japan Region
4. Virtual Earthquake Certificate—Mexico
5. Virtual Earthquake Lab Questions
3. You will want to be sure you answer the “Virtual Earthquake Lab Questions” as you complete the lab. If
you miss the answers during the first part of the activity, you may be able to answer them later; I would answer
them as you go. When you are done with the 17 questions, submit your answers online. This can be done after
class to save time. To submit your answers, go to www.rlhsearthscience.weebly.com assessmentsEQLab2
4. Read Page 1—Choose “San Francisco Area” and hit “Submit Choice”
Complete Questions 1-7
5. Read Page 2—be sure to carefully review the example seismogram. Click “View Seismograms”
Complete Question 8
6. Read Page 3—Estimate & record the S-P intervals for the three seismograms. Hint: each line is worth 2
seconds. Click “Convert S-P Interval”
7. Read Page 4—Using he S-P graph, determine the Distance for each station and fill in your answers. When
done, click “Find Epicenter”
Complete Questions 9-10
8. Read Page 5--You will now be shown your epicenter radii circles based on the data you entered. The
possible results include:
“Excellent Work”—best possible results, click “Computer Magnitude”
“Very Close”—good enough results to move on, but not the best possible, click “Compute Magnitude”
“Oopps”—click “Remeasure S-P Interval”, you will be sent back to “Page 3” (see above for directions)
Note: there is no page 6!!!
9.
Read Page 7—Click “Go to Next Page”
Complete Questions 11-14
10. Read Page 8—Click “Go to Next Page”
Complete Questions 15-17
11. Read Page 9--Determine the “amplitude” of each station and enter your data. Be sure to record the
AMPLITUDE and not the S-P Gap. Click “Submit to Nomogram.” Note: if you hit the back button, you may
have to redo some portions of the lab.
12. Read Page 10--Record “My estimate for the Richter Magnitude of this earthquake.” Be sure that your
answer has at least one number after the decimal. Example formats include: 1.2, 4.55. For example, 6 would
be an unacceptable answer. Click “Confirm Magnitude”
13. Read Page 11—Compare your estimate to the actual result. Complete the “Richter Scale Confirmation”
Page, enter the following:
NAME: First/Last Name, Period
INSTITUTION: RLHS
CITY & STATE: Random Lake, WI
Click “Get Certificate”
14. Review Page 12—Copy & Paste the data table to your document under “San Francisco.” Be sure to save
your file again and after each lab section. Click “Execute Virtual Earthquake” You are ¼ of the way done with
the lab.
15. Repeat the lab for “Southern California.” Copy and paste your data table to “Southern California” in your
document. Save your file again. You are now ½ way done with the lab. Return to the lab. Click “Execute
Virtual Earthquake.”
16. Repeat the lab for “Japan Region.” Copy and paste your data table to “Japan Region” in your document.
Save your file again. You are now ¾ of the way done with the lab. Return to the lab. Click “Execute Virtual
Earthquake.”
17. Repeat the lab for “Mexico.” Copy and paste your data table to “Mexico” in your document. Save your
file again. You are now done with your lab EXCEPT Submitting your online quiz.
18. When you are done, you will have 4 Data Tables, print your document.
19. Go to rlhsearthscience.weebly.com assessmentEQLab2
Note: your grade will be based on accurately completing the questions and accuracy in completing your data.
Name: ______________________________
Period: _____
Virtual Earthquake Lab Questions
1. Most earthquakes take place in the upper ___________ miles in the earth’s surface.
2. The point in the Earth where the energy is released during an earthquake is called the ____________.
3. Instruments which measure seismic activity are called ________________.
4. The two types of waves we will study in this lab are ____________ and ______________ waves.
5. ____________ waves can only travel through solids.
6. In the seismograms presented on page one of the lab, the vertical lines are placed at _______ second
intervals.
7. How many stations are needed to “triangulate” the epicenter?
8. On the sample seismogram, the S-P time interval is _________ seconds.
9. On the graph on page 4, the middle line represents ____________ waves.
10. It takes S waves 70 seconds to travel 300 km, how long does it take P waves to travel 300 km?
11. The scale we will be using during this lab was developed in 1935, what is the name of the scale?
12. In order to be strong enough for people to feel, an earthquake would have to be approximately a _______.
13. Does this scale have an upper limit?
14. The horizontal lines used to determine the “amplitude” of an earthquake on the seismogram represent
_________ millimeters.
15. What is the name of the graphical device that can be used to estimate the magnitude from distance and
amplitude?
16. According to the graph on page 8, what is the Richter Amplitude for an earthquake with a 1.0 mm
amplitude and 100 km from the epicenter?
17. If you increase the magnitude of an earthquake from 4 to 5, the amplitude would increase by a factor of
________.
Note: you do not need to submit this worksheet. Be sure to submit your questions online.