Student Name:                                                                                                                          Grade: _____      

                                                Physical Geology 101 Lab                                          

                                          Earthquake Assessment

Introduction & Purpose:

       The purpose of this lab is to learn and apply the concepts of seismology to assessing earthquake events, active faulting, and their associated hazards and risks.   The objective of this laboratory exercise is to become successful at applying concepts and techniques of seismology for locating earthquake epicenters, measuring magnitudes, evaluating ground surface stability, and measuring active faulting with aerial photography.   This lab has four parts: Part I is a laboratory earthquake model simulation; Part II is a fault displacement analysis exercise of a segment of an active fault using aerial photography; and Part III is a computer-Internet virtual courseware interactive activity designed to learn how to measure and assess earthquake epicenter locations and magnitudes.  Finally, Part IV is a reflection of your learning experience during this lab.

 

Part I - Earthquake Model Simulation

    Part I. is a hands-on laboratory model simulation of how surface structures behave on various earth sand substrates - 1) unconsolidated versus 2) consolidated versus 3) water-saturated earth material.  This activity follows the layout and instructions found in your lab manual on page 292 under the section Part 16A.  Follow the instructions and answer the 11 questions.  The instructor will furnish you with plastic cups, sand, "surface structures", and an earthquake generator device for this activity.

 

 Questions 1-11:

 

1.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

2.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

3.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

4.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

5.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

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6.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

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7.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

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8.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

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9.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

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10.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

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11.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

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Part II - Measuring and Analyzing Displacement on an Active Fault Using Aerial Photography

     Part II is designed to familiarize you with how geologists investigate the movement of an active fault by examining aerial photographs.  This activity comes out of your lab book, which is found on page 298 Part 16C.  Follow the instructions on page 304 and answer questions 21a,b,c;  22 & 23. Use the aerial photograph found in Figure 16.8 on page 305.

 

21a.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________

21b.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________   

21c.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

22.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

23.  Answer: _____________________________________________________________________  

Part III - Measuring and Analyzing an Earthquake's Epicenter Location and Magnitude

      Part III is a virtual courseware computer activity that will be accessed online over the Internet at the following website link:   http://www.sciencecourseware.com/eec/Earthquake/   

These online activities are designed to help you learn the concepts and techniques for measuring and analyzing the location of earthquake epicenters and estimating earthquake magnitudes.  I believe that these sets of web-based, interactive exercises nicely compliment the activities in your lab book.

    Before you begin the program, make sure that your computer system has the proper requirements to run the activities. This interactive online program consists of several components: 1) Images of earthquake destruction; 2) Tutorial; 3) Demonstrations; 4) Travel Time activity; and 5) Epicenter and Magnitude Activity.  The online components that will be assessed and graded by me only include the Epicenter & Magnitude activities.  However, it is very helpful to check out the demonstrations, tutorials, and travel time activity #4 prior to doing activity #5.  You must successfully complete these exercises, and a 5-question quiz at the end, in order to receive a passing "certificate".  Note that you must save and print out the completion certificate page before you quit the program.  Again, make sure to save and print out the "certificate" when you finish.  Include the certificate with your lab.

 

Part IV -  Earthquake Laboratory Reflection

Directions:  Write a reflection (minimum 120 words in length) about your experience in doing the earthquake lab today.  Include the following: 1) What was the purpose of the lab?; 2) What did you learned from this laboratory?; 3) What did you find interesting? 4) What were the problems and challenges you encountered; and 5) Your opinion on how this lab was designed – good and bad?