Online Virtual Earthquake
Earth Science S234
Name: __________________________ Date: __________________ Period: _______
Directions:
The website needed to complete this assignment can be found on Mr. Heisler’s or Mrs. Favia’s website. Find and open up the link titled “Online Virtual Earthquake”
(http://www.sciencecourseware.com/virtualearthquake/vquakeexecute.html). Read and follow each step. At the bottom of the each page you will find a button that will help navigate the website.
What’s an Earthquake?
1. What is a Focus?
2. The epicenter of an earthquake is the place on the Earth’s surface above where an earthquake begins. Label the picture of the Earth below with the terms epicenter and focus. One term goes with each of the arrows.
3. What is a seismograph?
What are Earthquake Waves?
4. What is a seismic wave?
5. Create a T-chart comparing S-waves and P-waves.

What’s a Seismogram?
6. Draw and Label a seismograph. Be sure to include the terms p-wave arrival time, s-wave arrival time, S-P interval, time, and amplitude.
7. Using the diagram of the seismograph, explain how the S-P interval is determined.
How is an Earthquake Epicenter Located?
8. How many seismic stations are needed to find an epicenter?
9. How do you use the lab station data to find the epicenter?
*Choose a region and click “submit choice”
Location: ____________________________
Measuring S-P Interval
10. How do you measure the S-P interval?

*Click on “view seismograms”
Type in the S-P intervals on the computer and write them in the spaces below.
Location 1: _____________________sec.
Location 2: _____________________sec.
Location 3: _____________________sec.
*Click on “Covert S-P interval”
Determine Earthquake Distance
Use the graph in order to determine the epicentral distance in km, type in the distances in km, and record the distances below.
Location 1: ___________________________km
Location 2: ___________________________km
Location 3: ___________________________km
*Click on “Find Epicenter”
Triangulation of the Epicenter
11. How do you know where to find the epicenter?
12. What location is your epicenter located?

*Click on “Compute Richter Magnitude”
Magnitude Explained
13. How would you describe magnitude?
14. What two measurements are needed in order to measure magnitude?
15. Using the diagram, describe how to find the amplitude of a seismograph.
*Click on “Go to Next Page”
The Richter Nomogram
16. A change in magnitude from 1 to 2 or 7 to 8 increases by a factor of 10. How much stronger is an earthquake that measured 9.0 versus an earthquake that measured 4.0?
17. Because earthquakes change by a factor of 10 if you were to look at a graph or data how would you describe the way earthquakes are measured?

*Click on “Go to Next Page”
Measuring the Earthquake Magnitude
Type in the maximum Amplitude for all three locations on the computer and on the lines below.
Station 1: ___________________________
Station 2: ___________________________
Station 3: ___________________________
The place where all three of the lines cross is the magnitude.
18. What is your earthquake’s magnitude? (Type it in the box and write it below)
Magnitude: _________________
*Click on “Confirm magnitude”
Richter Magnitude Confirmation
Fill in the following information on the computer.
Name: __First, Last Name___________
Institution: __Schaumburg High School
Location: Schaumburg, IL
Do not email instructor.
*Click on “Get Certificate”
Print your certificate to Cluster N.
Staple your certificate to the back of your worksheet and answers.