McGraw-Hill Science Return to Book List
Lightning
Grade 5
Science Magazine & World of Science
 
The Energy of Sound and Light, Topic 3: Sound and Surfaces
The Sound of Earthquakes
Keyword: SEISMIC

Did You Know...
Aristotle, the Greek philosopher, thought that earthquakes were caused by high winds inside the Earth!

 

Earthquakes

Here is a very thorough look at earthquakes. You'll find sections on waves, tectonics, seismographs, earthquake history, and earthquake safety.

Questions

  1. How can seismograms pinpoint the epicenter of an earthquake?

  2. In the famous 1906 San Francisco earthquake, what caused most of the damage to the city? Why?

  3. Why are today's seismometers called broadband?

  4.  

Earthquake Images

Were you in San Francisco for the big earthquake of 1906? Oh, you missed it? Well, fortunately, this site has photographs that show the damage from this earthquake and many others. Check it out!

Questions

  1. How many people were left homeless by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake? Where did they live after the quake?

  2. How long did the 1964 Alaska earthquake last? What caused almost all the deaths from this earthquake?

  3. How far was Mexico City from the epicenter of a 1985 earthquake that caused 10,000 deaths? What did this earthquake measure on the Richter scale?

  4.  

Earthquake Facts and Follies

What was the biggest earthquake ever? Find out the answer to this and MANY other earthquake questions at this site.

Questions

  1. Can earthquakes occur far away from the edges of tectonic plates? Give an example to support your answer.

  2. Name three factors that affect how deadly an earthquake can be.

  3. In which state are earthquakes most common?

  4.