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 Topic Science
Earthquakes Earth science
geology
Key Question
How can you locate the epicenter of an earthquake? Integrated Processes
Observing
Learning Goals Inferring
Students will: Collecting and recording data
• read simplified seismograms; Interpreting data
• read and interpret a Richter Nomogram; and Drawing conclusions
• interpret data to locate the epicenter of earthquakes
using triangulation. Materials
For each group:
Guiding Documents one pushpin
Project 2061 Benchmarks two scale compass cards (see Management 5)
• Some changes in the earth’s surface are abrupt pencil with a sharp point
(such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions) one 12-inch by 18-inch piece of cardboard
while other changes happen very slowly (such as
uplifting and wearing down mountains). Background Information
• Graphs can show a variety of possible relation- The study of earthquakes is called seismology.
ships between two variables. Earthquakes occur as a result of a sudden release of
stored energy. This energy builds up over long peri-
NRC Standards ods of time as a result of forces between the Earth’s
• Lithospheric plates on the scales of continents and tectonic plates. Most earthquakes occur along faults
oceans constantly move at rates of centimeters in the upper part of the Earth’s crust when one tec-
per year in response to movements in the mantle. tonic plate moves rapidly relative to the position of
Major geological events, such as earthquakes, the other plate. This sudden motion causes seismic
volcanic eruptions, and mountain building, result waves to radiate out. This area is called the focus.
from these plate motions. A seismic wave transfers energy from one spot
• Mathematics is important in all aspects of scientific to another within the Earth. There are two types of
inquiry. waves that scientists monitor during earthquakes: P
• Technology used to gather data enhances accuracy (primary) waves, which are similar to sound waves,
and allows scientists to analyze and quantify results and S (secondary) waves which are a type of shear
of investigations. wave. In the Earth, P waves can travel through solids
and liquids; S waves can travel only through solids
NCTM Standards 2000* Seismographs are instruments used to measure
• Recognize and apply geometric ideas and relation- Earth movement. The first seismograph was cre-
ships in areas outside the mathematics classroom, ated in the second century AD in China. The brilliant
such as art, science, and everyday life scientist, mathematician, and inventor Chang Heng
• Select and apply techniques and tools to accurately developed this seismograph. The illustration on the
find length, area, volume, and angle measures to student map page of this activity shows what this
appropriate levels of precision seismograph looked like. A tremor caused one of
eight bronze balls that were placed in the dragon’s
Math mouth to drop into the mouth of one of eight bronze
Measurement frogs. The path of the ball indicated the area from
length which the tremor came.

EARTH BOOK 109 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation

 Modern seismographs began their development in • S waves and the S wave arrival time
1848. The principle behind a traditional seismograph • S-P interval (expressed in seconds)
is rather simple. A weight is freely suspended from a • S wave maximum amplitude (measured in mm)
support that is attached to bedrock. When waves from • The scale intervals [The horizontal scale on
a distant earthquake reach the instrument, the inertia these seismograms is 2 seconds and the
of the weight keeps it stationary, while the Earth and vertical scale 10 mm.]
the support vibrate. The movement of the Earth in rela- 3. Tell the students to determine the P-wave arrival
tion to the stationary weight is recorded on a rotating time, S-wave arrival time, S-P interval in seconds,
drum. It produces a seismogram that shows a continu- and S-wave maximum amplitude for each of the
ous record of Earth movement. There are seismographic two examples.
stations all over the world. There are literally millions of 4. Show the students how to use the Richter
earthquakes that can be detected by a seismograph Nomogram to determine the distance the earth-
each year. Thousands are strong enough to be felt by quake has occurred from the seismograph. The
people. students will need to first know the S-P interval.
They will then use the left portion of the Richter
Management Nomogram that lists distance and S-P interval.
1. Emphasize to the students that the seismogram The students will follow the vertical column of
in this activity is highly simplified. Use the the S-P interval up the Richter Nomogram until
seismogram on the student page to help the they reach the interval in seconds that matches
students identify the following parts: the seismogram reading. They will then read the
• P waves and the P wave arrival time corresponding distance by reading horizontally
• S waves and the S wave arrival time across the column. This distance is called the
• S-P interval (expressed in seconds) epicentral distance, the distance a site is from
• S wave maximum amplitude (measured in mm) the epicenter of the earthquake.
The P waves are the first to arrive at a seismo- 5. Instruct the students how to use the Richter
graphic station. The S waves will follow. The Nomogram to estimate the magnitude of the
difference in time between the arrival of the P and earthquake. Direct them to plot the distance on
S waves is called the S-P interval. The amplitude the left column and the amplitude on the right
of the S wave is measured in mm and is read on column. Tell them to draw a line to connect the
the vertical axis of the seismogram. The maxi- two points. The magnitude can be estimated
mum amplitude can be above or below the 0 line by reading the point where the line crosses the
on the seismogram. magnitude scale in the middle. Use the Richter
2. To locate an earthquake’s epicenter, you need to Nomogram to estimate the magnitude of the two
have the seismogram readings from three sites. sample earthquakes.
On each of the seismograms you will need to
determine the S-P interval. The S-P interval will
then be used to determine the distance the waves
traveled from the origin of that station.
3. The epicenter for Data Set One is in the northwest
corner of Wyoming (Yellowstone National Park)
and the second epicenter is Charleston, South
Carolina. Both of these sites are seismologically
active areas.
4. The map scale should measure 7 mm equals
100 km. You may need to have students adjust
their scale compass cards as a result of distortion
that occurs when items are photocopied.

Procedure
Part One
1. Ask the Key Question and state the Learn-
ing Goals.
2. Distribute the first student page with the model
seismogram. Direct the students to examine the
model seismogram. Have students locate and
identify the following parts:
• P waves and the P wave arrival time

EARTH BOOK 110 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation

 Part Two 10. Have the students examine the second set of
1. Ask the Key Question and state the Learn- seismograms. Have them predict which is the
ing Goals. closest station, the middle station, and the furthest
2. Distribute the maps and data sets. Determine station from the epicenter. Then have them find
the P wave arrival time, S wave arrival time, the epicenter of this earthquake and estimate the
S-P interval in seconds, and S wave maximum magnitude.
amplitude for each of the seismograms.
3. Use the Richter Nomogram to determine the Connecting Learning
distance each station was from the earthquake’s 1. What is the difference in a seismogram and a
epicenter. seismograph? [The seismogram is the chart of an
4. Tell the students to tape the maps onto the earthquake. The seismograph is the instrument
cardboard. that makes the seismogram.]
5. Have the students construct the two scale compass 2. Why is it necessary to use three stations when
cards. The students will need to use a different locating an earthquake’s epicenter?
scale compass card for each earthquake. The 3. What do you notice about the maximum amplitude
cards are constructed from a 3 by 5 index card. at each seismographic station and the location
Direct the students to: of the epicenter? [The larger the amplitude, the
• cut off two 1-cm strips from the three-inch closer the station is to the epicenter.]
dimension of the card; 4. Why is it important to determine the scale before
• place the factory cut edge of each strip along reading a graph or instrument?
the scale of the map and trace the map scale 5. In what part of the country do you think there are
onto it; the most seismographic stations?
• start marking the scale 2 cm from the end; 6. Would a fourth station reading be useful? [It
• use the pushpin to place a hole on the middle depends on the location, a close station may
of the first line (0 km); give more information on the magnitude of the
• determine the distance from each of the earthquake.]
seismograms from Data Set One; and 7. What are you wondering now?
• use the pushpin to punch a small hole
matching the three distances from the three * Reprinted with permission from Principles and Standards for
School Mathematics, 2000 by the National Council of teachers
seismograms on the scale compass card. of Mathematics. All rights reserved
6. Direct the students to use the scale compass card
to draw the three circles that go with the data set.
Place the pushpin on each of the three different Solutions
cities and draw a circle using that city’s epicen- Practice
tral distance by placing a very sharp pencil in the (Data approximated)
corresponding hole. The earthquake’s epicenter S-P Interval 38 sec.
is located at the intersection of the three circles. Amplitude 160 mm
The students will need to make a new scale Epicentral Distance 3600 km
compass card for the second data set. Estimated Magnitude 6.5

S-P Interval 66 sec.

Amplitude 100 mm
1 cm

Epicentral Distance 640 km

Estimated Magnitude 7.2
2 cm
Data Set One
7. Assist them, if necessary, in identifying the (Data approximated)
location of the earthquake’s epicenter. Cheyenne, WY
8. Tell the students to use the Richter Nomogram to S-P Interval 64 sec.
estimate the magnitude of the earthquake. Amplitude 40 mm
9. Ask the students what they notice about the Epicentral Distance 620 km
amplitude and location of the epicenter. [The Estimated Magnitude 6.7
larger the amplitude, the closer the station is to
the epicenter.]

EARTH BOOK 111 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation

 Salt Lake City, UT
S-P Interval 52 sec.
Amplitude 90 mm
Epicentral Distance 500 km
Estimated Magnitude 6.6

Helena, MT
S-P Interval 33 sec.
Amplitude 250 mm
Epicentral Distance 310 km
Estimated Magnitude 6.5

Epicenter: Yellowstone National Park

Northwest Wyoming

Data Set Two

Atlanta, GA
S-P Interval 51 sec.
Amplitude 150 mm
Epicentral Distance 490 km
Estimated Magnitude 6.7

Raleigh, NC
S-P Interval 42 sec.
Amplitude 260 mm
Epicentral Distance 400 km
Estimated Magnitude 6.7

Tampa, FL
S-P Interval 66 sec.
Amplitude 50 mm
Epicentral Distance 640 km
Estimated Magnitude 6.8

Epicenter: Charleston, SC

EARTH BOOK 112 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation

 Key Question
How can you locate the
epicenter of an earthquake?

Learning Goals

• read simplified
seismograms;
• read and interpret a Richter
Nomogram; and
• interpret data to locate the
epicenter of earthquakes
using triangulation.

EARTH BOOK 113 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation

EARTH BOOK 114 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation
 Helena, MT Salt Lake City, UT Cheyenne, WY

EARTH BOOK
115
Tampa, FL Raleigh, NC Atlanta, GA

© 2007 AIMS Education Foundation

EARTH BOOK 116 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation
EARTH BOOK 117 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation
 ✄

0 300
km

EARTH BOOK 118 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation

 Connecting Learning

1. What is the difference

in a seismogram and a
seismograph?

2. Why is it necessary to use

three stations when locating an
earthquake’s epicenter?

3. What do you notice about the

maximum amplitude at each
seismographic station and the
location of the epicenter?

4. Why is it important to determine

the scale before reading a graph
or instrument?

EARTH BOOK 119 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation

 Connecting Learning

5. In what part of the country

do you think there are
the most seismographic
stations?

6. Would a fourth station reading

be useful?

7. What are you wondering now?

EARTH BOOK 120 © 2007 AIMS Education Foundation