Earthquake Task

In 1935 Charles Richter defined the magnitude of an earthquake to be Where M, represents the magnitude, I is the intensity of the earthquake, S is the intensity of a “standard earthquake”

Magnitude = “size” Generally measured as a function of the amount of energy released during a particular event Magnitude-Frequency concept: The magnitude of an event is inversely related to frequency

Math In Earthquakes ature=related

Magnitude-Frequency Relationship: Earthquakes MagnitudeEnergy Released Ground Motion # per yr ,300, x30x10130, x30x1013, x30x x30x x30x x30x

Example An earthquake hit the City of Toronto back in 1985 with a magnitude of 4.1. A survivor of the Vancouver earthquake of 1981 had heard this, and began to laugh stating they had survived an earthquake that was almost 3000 times more intense than that. What was the magnitude of the second earthquake?

Example – Comparing Intensities A recent earthquake in San Francisco measured 7.1 on the Richter scale. One previous earthquake had measured 8.3 on the Richter scale. How many times more intense was the first earthquake in comparison with the second?

Task Research and compare Three earthquakes in terms of their magnitude. Once you have selected 3, determine the difference in intensities for each of these earthquakes. Discuss with your groups about the consequences that follow an earthquake that occurs in a developing country vs. developed What type of relief efforts exist for these types of events Are certain areas more prone to earthquakes vs. Others? Why or Why not? Present Your information on a piece of chart paper

Information on your Chart Paper - Calculations - A Paragraph about your Groups Findings - Interesting topic, compare Haiti to Chilean Earthquake, which was stronger? Why was there not an equal amount of support to both countries? It has been a year since the event,