Name: __________________________________________________________ Period: _____ Date: ________
Virtual Earthquakes
PART 1  VIRTUAL EARTHQUAKES: Work through each earthquake data set to determine the epicenter
location for each earthquake. Record your data below.
URL: http://www.sciencecourseware.org/virtualearthquake/VQuakeExecute.html
#1 – San Francisco:

Eureka S-P interval =
_______  distance = _________

Elko S-P interval =
_______  distance = _________

Las Vegas S-P interval = _______  distance = _________
Earthquake
epicenter  ____________________
#2 – Southern California:

Fresno S-P interval =

las Vegas S-P interval = _______  distance = _________

Phoenix S-P interval =
_______  distance = _________
_______  distance = _________
Earthquake
epicenter  ____________________
#3 – Japan

Pusan S-P interval =
_______  distance = _________

Tokyo S-P interval =
_______  distance = _________

Akita S-P interval =
_______  distance = _________
Earthquake
epicenter  ____________________
#4 – Mexico:

Chihuahua S-P interval = _______  distance = _________

Mazatlan S-P interval =
_______  distance = _________

Rosarito S-P interval =
_______  distance = _________
Earthquake
epicenter  ____________________
Conclusion: Describe the basic process for locating the exact epicenter of any earthquake. In your answer,
make sure to explain how many different seismograph sites are necessary and why.
OVER 
PART 2  GOOGLE EARTH: Go to the “STU-SHARE” folder in the Hentschel network folder. Open the file
named “Earthquakes Past 7 Days” and another file named “Plate Boundaries”. This should open Google Earth.
Once it does, follow the steps below, and answer these questions.
PLEASE NOTE: You are looking at real earthquake data for the last week, which is updated to the
minute. This means you can actually find the details of earthquakes that occurred in just the last hour!
1) Which 2 states in the US have had the most earthquake activity in the last week?
(HINT  Don’t forget all 50 states)
________________________ and ________________________
2) What plate boundaries are associated with these two tectonically active states?
________________________ and ________________________
3) Are there any earthquakes in the US that have occurred in the last hour? If so, click on one earthquake and list the
location, magnitude, depth and time for the quake:
4) Are there any earthquakes in the rest of the world that have occurred in the last hour? Make sure to zoom in and
out and look all over. If there are any, click on the one earthquake and list the location, magnitude, depth and
time for at least one quake:
PART 3  GOOGLE EARTH SHAKEMAPS: Minimize Google Earth and Go to the “STU-SHARE” folder in the
Hentschel network folder. Open the file named “Taiwan October 31 2013”. This should show you a “shake map”
of an earthquake and epicenter in Google Earth. Look at the earthquake displayed (It happened yesterday!) and
answer the questions below.
5) Where was the epicenter of the earthquake on October 31, 2013? _____________________________
6) Describe the shaking intensity near the epicenter. (hint -> look at the color) _________________________
Minimize Google Earth and go back to the Hentschel network folder and open the file named “Philippines
October 15 2013”. This should show you a “shake map” of another earthquake and epicenter in Google Earth.
Look at the earthquake displayed and answer the questions below.
7) Where was the epicenter of the earthquake on October 15, 2013? _____________________________
8) Describe the shaking intensity near the epicenter. (hint -> look at the color) _________________________
9) If you compare the location of both earthquake’s epicenters and the intensity of the shaking, which earthquake do
you think caused more damage, and why?