EARTHQUAKES

Question 1

Describe the distribution of earthquakes.

Answer 1

Earthquakes are mainly found on or near to plate margins.

Question 2

Define the term earthquake.

Answer 2

An earthquake is a sudden movement of the earths crust.

Question 3

What scale is used to measure the strength of earthquakes.

Answer 3

The Richter and Mercalli scale.

Question 4

At which type of plate margins are the strongest earthquakes found.

Answer 4

The strongest earthquakes are found at destructive plate margins

Question 5

How strong was the 1995 Kobe Earthquake on ritcher scale?

Answer 5

It was 7.2 on the Richter scale.

Question 6

How many people where killed and injured by the 1995 Kobe earthquake.

Answer 6

The death toll was 5,500 and injuries numbed 35000

Question 7

How many left homeless in 1995 Kobe Earthquake?

Answer 7

The homeless number reach 316000.

Question 8

Give two reasons why there was a shortage of food after the kobe earthquake.

Answer 8

Damage to farm irrigation system meant that crop yields were reduced as they could not be watered. Also due to the destruction of the roads, railways and bridges food could not easily be transported into the area.

Question 9

Give two reasons why people could not return top their jobs after the earthquake.

Answer 9

Many factories collapsed or where so badly damaged that produce could not resume. Also many hydro electric plants where damaged and some factories did not have an electricity supply.

Question 10

Give two reasons why the earthquake caused so many buildings collapsed.

Answer 10

It was a strong earthquake measuring 7.2 on the Richter scale.
Many building of the area were not built to withstand large earthquakes.

Question 11

How many buildings collapsed or were damaged by the earthquake.

Answer 11

The number of buildings that collapsed was 200,000 .

Question 12

Explain how smart gas meter may reduce the impact of an earthquake.

Answer 12

They will automatically turn of the gas supply to a building when they detect any seismic activity. Therefore, there will be no release of gas which will reduce the risk of the building been burnt down.

Question 13

Suggest four ways that buildings can be designed to withstand the impact of earthquakes.

Answer 13

Install; computer-controlled weights in the roof to reduce the movement of the building, automatic window shutters to prevent falling glass, sink the foundations into bedrock, and use fire resistant material.

Question 14

Suggest three ways in which the inhabitants of an earthquake prone area may be reduce the impact of an earthquake.

Answer 14

They can make sure all the family members know what to do during an earthquake, like sheltering under tables, store bottled water and food that does not have to cooked as the water, electricity and gas supplies may be disrupted.

Question 15

Suggest three ways that a government of an earthquake prone country can reduce the impact of an earthquake.

Answer 15

They can train and equip the emergency services to deal with the damage caused, stockpile emergency supplies of tents / pre fabricated shelters, medicines, bottled water and food to shelter and feed people.

Question 16

List three secondary hazards that may result from earthquakes.

Answer 16

The secondary hazards may be fires, landslides and tsunamis.

Question 17

Explain how population density may affect the impact of an earthquake.

Answer 17

The impact could be greater in high population density areas. e.g countryside verses urban areas.

Question 18

List the main primary hazard of an earthquake.

Answer 18

The main primary hazard of an earthquake is the shaking of the ground.

Question 19

What is meant by the term epicentre.

Answer 19

The epicentre is the point on the earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.

Question 20

What is meant by the term focus.

Answer 20

The focus is the source of the shock waves.

Question 21

Suggest ways in which scientists are trying to predict earthquakes.

Answer 21

Scientists are trying various ways to predict earthquakes by measure levels of radon gas emitted from the ground and looking at unusual animal.

Question 22

To what extent can earthquakes be predicted?

Answer 22

Past records of earthquakes are used to try and estimate when and where the next earthquake will happen, However, earthquakes are impossible to predict the exact time of the next earthquake.

Question 23

Explain why earthquakes happen.

Answer 23

As the plates try to slide past each other the friction between them causes them to become stuck. Overtime the pressure builds up until the friction is overcome and the plates suddenly jerk past each other releasing energy that moves through the crust as seismic waves.