In Chapter 3, you learned how plate tectonics can cause volcanoes to form. In this chapter, you will learn another effect of plate movement – earthquakes. Earthquakes are violent vibrations in the Earth’s crust caused by the sudden movement of tectonic plates. The strength of the earthquake depends on the type of fault, the depth at which the earthquake occurs and the level of plate movement.
KEY WORDS
l Seismic waves l Seismograph l Richter scale l Modified Mercalli scale l Fault line l Focus l Epicentre
l Tremors l Aftershock l Convergent boundaries l Divergent boundaries l Passive boundaries l Rift valleys l San Andreas Fault
LEARNING OUTCOMES
What you MUST know l The locations of earthquakes l How earthquakes are measured and predicted l Named examples of earthquakes l The different parts of an earthquake l The effects of earthquakes
What you SHOULD know l Japanese earthquake CASE STUDY F l How to prevent earthquake damage
What is USEFUL to know l Named examples of plate boundaries where earthquakes occur
l The different types of seismic waves
l Historic records l Animal behaviour l Tsunami l Earthquake-proof buildings
PATTERNS AND PROCESSES IN THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 65
