Physics of earthquakes – extended package Guide with lesson plans

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Physics of earthquakes – extended package Guide with lesson plans

Package “Physics of earthquakes” is dedicated to work with students aged 16-19.

Physics: package refers to the following aspects in the physics’ curriculum for advanced course:

Student:

- analyses movement influenced by elastic forces (harmonics), gives examples of such movement;

- describes wave breaking; - describes physical units and their relation with basic units; - performs on his/her own correct charts (proper marking and description of the axis,

scale selection, determination of uncertainty of measurement points); - presents the main theses of a science-based article in the field of physics or

astronomy.

Geography: package enables the achievement of the general learning objectives set out in the curriculum for extended course:

Student:

- reads and describes the features of the natural environment (e.g. landform, geological structure) and socio-economic (e.g. distribution of natural resources, population, transport routes) basing on following maps: topographic, hypsometric and thematic;

- interprets geographical phenomena presented in graphs, tables, diagrams and models;

- forms cause and effect relationships, functional and temporal relations between selected elements of the natural and socio-economic environment and verifies them using thematic maps;

- uses information and communication technologies to acquire, store, process and present geographic information;

- describes the mineralogical composition of the Earth's crust, the main groups and types of rocks and their economic application, assesses changes in the natural environment related to the exploitation of mineral resources;

- characterizes the most important geological and natural events in the history of the Earth (folds, continental drift, transgression and regressions of the sea, glaciation, development of the organic world);

- characterizes the main internal processes leading to the diversification of the Earth's surface - volcanism, plutonism, movements of the earth's crust, tectonic shaking, tectonic movements (Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic) and forms resulting from them.

Title Physics of Earthquakes – extended package

Author Dr. Łukasz Rudziński

Department of Seismology Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences

Students’ age 16-19

Educational stage Upper secondary school, technical school

Subject Geography, Physics

Overview of package content

Seismology is a multidisciplinary science using knowledge from other disciplines, such as: geology, tectonics, physic and mathematic. The biggest challenge for seismologists is to elaborate earthquakes forecasting algorithm. Forecasting earthquakes means estimate time, location and strength of earthquakes with enough accuracy. Is it ever possible?

Despite many years of seismological studies all around the world, earthquakes forecasting algorithm has not been discovered. Nevertheless, using more and more sophisticated seismological studies, we believe that such algorithm will be available in the future.

Package “Physics of earthquakes” presents basis of seismology, its observations and measurements. It is also an introduction to the world of seismological observations thanks to the use of modern interactive seismological Platform: Platform for Anthropogenic Seismicity Research (https://tcs.ah-epos.eu/). It allows an analysis of real seismic signals recorded on real seismic networks.

At least several earthquakes occur every day. Usually the source of tremor is rock movement. Earthquakes can also be associated with volcanism and even can be triggered or induced by human activity. All of them are continuously monitored by very sensible devices called seismometers. Some of them are dedicated to record local and very small tremors which are not felt by human, while another observe strong earthquakes that occurs on the other part of the Earth. Seismometers record seismic waves which are next analyzed by seismologists using sophisticated software and knowledge of Earth structures. Thanks to that we are able to define origin time and location of source as well as strength of quakes and its mechanisms. Further studies describe seismic hazard on specific areas.

All this information is essential to understand how earthquakes happen.

*) in order to be able to work on IS-EPOS Platform it is necessary to register and obtain confirmation of registration from the system administrator - usually the time needed to confirm is one working day. Registration takes place on the platform's website https://tcs.ah-epos.eu/ based on the school's affiliation. Tutorials how to register on the platform can be found on Youtube website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oib-JT3rnw. Once you are logged it to IS-EPOS Platform, you can find a set of videos about working with various elements of the platform.

Expected educational goals

Student knows:

• What seismology is and what it investigates; • Terms: earthquake, epicentre, seismic wave, seismogram; • What device is used to measure earthquake; • How and where earthquakes occur; • If earthquakes can be predicted.

Student understands:

• Relation between seismology, tectonics of the earth and construction of planet’s interior;

• Why earthquakes occur more in some places than in other; • The importance of seismology for society; • How magnitude of earthquakes is determined.

Student can:

• Identify possible sources of earthquakes; • Find first seismic wave onset; • Locate the seismic phenomenon using a real seismic data.

Content of the package

1. “Physics of earthquakes” – presentation – extended package; 2. “Physics of earthquakes” - movie based on presentation – extended package; 3. “Physics of earthquakes” - Normal fault – animation; 4. “Physics of earthquakes” - Reverse fault – animation; 5. “Physics of earthquakes” - Strike-slip fault – animation; 6. Greece earthquake – worksheet; 7. Picking of seismic waves – worksheet; 8. Picking of seismic waves – multimedia presentation; 9. “Physics of earthquakes” – test; 10. “Physics of earthquakes” – test – answers; 11. “Physics of earthquakes” – Guide with lesson plans.

Additional materials

• Seismic data from IS-EPOS Platform: https://tcs.ah-epos.eu • Link to online test:

https://play.kahoot.it/#/?quizId=5dcdc053-a855-46ab-9762-ebbdeaae7f53

Lesson 1. Subject: When the Earth shakes

Lesson plan for “Physics of earthquakes – extended package”

In order to conduct the lesson, it will be necessary to provide:

• a multimedia projector, computer, speakers; • wall map – physical map of the world; • geographic atlas – tectonic map; • smartphone with installed seismometer application (e.g. Hamm Seismograph).

Expected educational goals of the lesson: The goals of the lesson are the same as the goals of the educational "Physics of Earthquakes - extended package."

Suggested forms of work:

• offering: a lecture, a talk; • displaying: a presentation, a movie; • activating: a discussion, a brainstorm; • practical: exercises based on work sheets.

Lesson procedure:

1. Start of the lesson, organizational activities, attendance list check.

2. Introduction to the topic. The teacher asks questions, and encourages students to participate in the discussion about earthquakes (brainstorm).

• Where did the earthquakes occur? • How often do we hear news about tragic earthquakes? • How do earthquakes affect people and nature?

3. With the use of physical map of the world students search for mentioned places. After that they compare it with the map in the geographic atlas (map of tectonic plates). The students recall what the motion of the tectonic plates is and explain its causes (mantle convection).

4. Teacher discuss the presentation “Physics of earthquakes – extended package” (No. 1) 1. Additional material which may help during the lesson is a movie based on presentation (No. 2) prepared by a researcher from the Department of Seismology of the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Dr. Łukasz Rudziński who explains the phenomena associated with earthquakes. During the presentation it is recommended to check understanding of phenomena.

5. Thanks to the movie students learned that most smartphones are equipped with accelerometer, so that after installing simple and free applications, they can see how

1 Numbers of materials refer to the numbering in the table under „Content of the package”

the earthquakes are being recorded. Presented, as an example, application (Hamm seismograph) shows continuous registration of three components (x, y, z). By hitting gently in phone case, we can easily notice that each recording is responsible for different direction of movement:

• vertical movements (up – down); • horizontal movements (east – west); • horizontal movements (north – south).

Thanks to the application, students can easily understand how measurements are taken and why in the past three different seismometers were installed to take measurements. Nowadays, one small device records all three components simultaneously.

6. Summary of the lesson – test or Kahoot. Students take the test. It may be a traditional test (No. 9), but it is recommended to use the online quiz using the kahoot.it website Link to the test dedicated to the package:

https://play.kahoot.it/#/?quizId=5dcdc053-a855-46ab-9762-ebbdeaae7f53

Lesson 2. Subject: Greek earthquake from the perspective of a seismologist

Lesson plan for “Physics of earthquakes – extended” Lesson “Greek earthquake from the perspective of a seismologist” is planned as a continuation of the lesson "When the Earth shakes". Its implementation requires knowledge of basic concepts in the field of physics of earthquakes. During the lesson, there is a need to recall certain issues raised in the multimedia presentation - in order to repeat and consolidate the knowledge. The lesson, however, has the character of students' work using seismic data presented in the form of a seismogram from a specific seismic event - an earthquake from Greece of 06/01/2008. The magnitude of the earthquake was M6.1

In order to conduct the lesson, it will be necessary to provide:

• A multimedia projector, computer, speakers; • A computer with access to the Internet for each student (or a group of students); • Geographical atlas; • Worksheet “Greece earthquake” (No. 6) printed for each student.

Expected educational goals of the lesson: The goals of the lesson are the same as the goals of the educational "Earthquake Physics - extended package."

Suggested forms of work:

• offering: a lecture, a talk; • practical: exercises based on worksheets.

Lesson procedure:

1. Start of the lesson, organizational activities, attendance list check.

2. The teacher together with students recall the most important information about earthquakes, in particular those regarding seismic waves: what a seismic wave is, the mechanism of wave propagation, P and S waves.

3. The teacher hands out the "Greece earthquake" worksheet (No. 6) - only part A.

4. Students fill in exercises basing on given instructions. After completing task no. 2, the teacher distributes part B of the worksheet. In this part, students receive a seismogram with correctly determined first arrival of P and S waves.

5. At the end, students present and compare the results of their work.

Lesson 3. Subject: Picking of seismic waves

Lesson plan for “Physics of earthquakes – extended”

The lesson "Picking of seismic waves" is planned as a continuation of the lesson about physics of earthquakes. It is intended for students, who are particularly interested in issues related to seismic phenomena. During the lesson, students will use the modern seismological platform IS - EPOS Platform for Anthropogenic Seismicity Research (https://tcs.ah-epos.eu/). It enables observation and analysis of real earthquake records recorded on real seismological networks. In order to be able to work on the platform, it is necessary to register and obtain confirmation of registration from the system administrator - usually the time needed to confirm is one working day. Registration takes place on the platform's website https://tcs.ah-epos.eu/ based on the school's affiliation. Tutorials how to register on the platform can be found on youtube website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oib-JT3rnw

In order to conduct the lesson, it will be necessary to provide:

• A multimedia projector, computer, speakers; • A computer with access to the Internet for each student; • Worksheet “Picking of seismic waves” (No. 7) printed for each student

Expected educational goals of the lesson: The goals of the lesson are the same as the goals of the educational "Physics of Earthquakes - extended package"

Suggested forms of work:

• offering: a lecture, a talk; • practical: exercises based on work sheets.

Lesson procedure:

1. Start of the lesson, organizational activities, attendance list check. 2. The teacher together with students recall the most important information about

earthquakes, in particular those regarding seismic waves: what a seismic wave is, the mechanism of wave propagation, P and S waves.

3. The teacher hands out the “Picking of seismic waves” worksheet (no. 7) 4. The teacher presents the multimedia presentation “Picking of seismic waves” (no. 8) 5. Students, basing on information presented in the presentation and worksheet, mark

the P and S wave on picked seismograms. 6. At the end, students present and compare the results of their work.