Earthquake Machine Lite
Michael Hubenthal - IRIS; Larry Braile - Purdue University; John Lahr - USGS; John Taber - IRIS
Mechanical Modeling to Increase Student
Understanding of Complex Earth Systems
Guiding Question(s)
What is an earthquake?
What is the role of a model in science?
How are scientific ideas constantly changing?
Have you even been outside at night and felt nervous or frightened?
Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson
Will the flashlight help us feel better here?
QuickTime™ and aCinepak decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aCinepak decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Answer the following question on your sticky note…
What is an Earthquake? What is an Earthquake? ??
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Cal
vin
and
Hob
bes
by B
ill W
atte
rson
B
C
EQ Machine - Lite
Top View
CRubber Band
Thin Tape Measure
Wood Block w/ SandpaperTape Measure
Sandpaper
Wood Block Guide
B
C
EQ Machine - Lite
Top View
Bulk of the Plate
Edge of the Plate
Elastic Properties of Earth Materials Plate has Constant
Velocity Here of 1cm/year
Seismic MomentMo = fault length x fault width x displacement x rigidity
Moment Magnitude = Mw = log Mo/1.5 – 10.7
Seismic MomentMo = fault length x fault width x displacement x rigidity
Visualizing magnitude with the model
B
Moment Magnitude = Mw = log Mo/1.5 – 10.7
Distant forces cause a gradual build up of stress in the earth over tens or hundreds or thousands of years, slowly distorting the earth underneath our feet. Eventually, a pre-existing weakness in the earth--called a fault or a fault zone--can not resist the strain any longer and fails catastrophically.
Elastic Rebound Theory