Aim: What causes an Earthquake? Dynamic Planet Aim: What causes an Earthquake?

Prediction Think of the popsicle stick as a model for part of Earth’s crust. What do you think might eventually happen as the forces of plate movement bend the crust?

What caused the wood to break? Stress built up in the wood until it reached its breaking point. Before we can truly understand how stress builds up in the crust we must look at the parts of the earthquake

Parts of an Earthquake B Epicenter A Focus C Fault

Parts of an Earthquake Focus- Where the earthquake originated. The location underground where a fault will occur. Fault- A crack in the crust along which movement occurs during an earthquake. Epicenter- The point on the Earth’s surface directly above an earthquake’s focus.

What is an Earthquake? Earthquakes occur when stress (force) causes strain (bending) that exceed the ability of the rocks to resist breakage. A sudden release of energy (breaking) generates energy waves that radiate as an earthquake.

Earthquake Magnitude

Magnitude? Which location will feel the strongest magnitude from the earthquake? Location 2 Why will this location have the strongest magnitude? It is the shortest distance from where the earthquake originated (Focus) Shortest Distance=Greater Magnitude