8

SCIENCE 8
Quarter 2 – Module 2:
EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER AND
FOCUS

i
Science – Grade 8
Alternative Delivery Mode
Quarter 2 – Module 2: EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER AND FOCUS
First Edition, 2020

Republic Act 8293, section 176 states that: No copyright shall subsist in any
work of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the
government agency or office wherein the work is created shall be necessary for
exploitation of such work for profit. Such agency or office may, among other things,
impose as a condition the payment of royalties.

Borrowed materials (i.e., songs, stories, poems, pictures, photos, brand

names, trademarks, etc.) included in this book are owned by their respective
copyright holders. Every effort has been exerted to locate and seek permission to
use these materials from their respective copyright owners. The publisher and
authors do not represent nor claim ownership over them.

Published by the Department of Education

Secretary: Leonor Magtolis Briones
Undersecretary: Diosdado M. San Antonio

DEVELOPMENT TEAM OF THE MODULE

WRITERS: MARICRIS F. BARAQUIEL

EDITORS: JERIEL G. MARTIREZ

WELIMEN C. OSEO

REVIEWERS: ROWENA C. DE LEON

WELIMEN C. OSEO
JERIEL G. MARTIREZ

LAYOUT ARTISTS:
ROMAN B. JEBULAN
SEVERINO R. CANTUBA, JR.
KEVIN H. OJOS
DAVE B. FORTES
JERIEL G. MARTINEZ

i
 8

SCIENCE 8
Quarter 2 – Module 2:
EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER AND
FOCUS

ii
 Most Essential Learning Competency

Differentiate the epicenter of an earthquake from its focus using model

(S8ES - IIa-15)

1
 EARTHQUAKE FOCUS AND
EPICENTER

Introduction

You have learned from the past module how fault is formed
and how movements along fault generate earthquakes. Faults are
fractures in rocks along which movement has occurred. Some faults
may cause the ground to crack, rise, or lower. Earthquakes are
associated with faults. When a fault suddenly moves, an earthquake
occurs. There were models or illustrations used to show how
movements along faults generate earthquakes.
In this module, you will know the difference between the
epicenter of an earthquake from its focus using models.

Most Essential Learning

Competency & Objectives

In this module, you will differentiate the epicenter of an earthquake from

its focus using model (S8ES - IIa-15)
Specifically, you should be able to:
 Differentiate the epicenter of an earthquake from its focus using model.

2
 Pre-Test

Before we start our lesson, try to answer these

five (5) questions below.

Directions: Read the questions carefully and choose the letter of

the correct answer.

1. Which of the following describe the epicenter of an earthquake?

a. The location where the energy of the earthquake travel.
b. The location where motion in an earthquake is detected last.
c. The point on Earth’s surface directly above the earthquake’s focus.
d. The location along a fault where the first motion of an earthquake occurs.

2. Which of the following statement correctly identifies the focus and epicenter of
an earthquake in the given illustration?

C
B

a. Point A is the focus and Point B is the epicenter.

b. Point A is the epicenter and Point C is the focus
c. Point A is the epicenter and Point B is the focus.
d. Point A is the focus and Point C is the epicenter.

3. An earthquake’s source of energy is located at the _____________, but the

location at the land surface above that point is called the ______________.
a. epicenter, focus c. focus, epicenter
b. fault, hypocenter d. hypocenter, fault
4. Which of the following best describes the location of earthquake epicenter and
focus?

EPICENTER FOCUS

a. point on the Earth's surface place where the fault begins to

located directly above the focus slip

3
 b. origin of the earthquake where the first movement occurs

c. point within Earth where a the point where the edges of the
tremble rupture starts plates give way resulting in
sudden movement which causes
earthquake

d. point where the rocks break lies over the center of the quake

5. Which of the following statements is TRUE about the focus and epicenter of
an earthquake?
a. The focus is the point on the surface directly below the epicenter while
epicenter is the point where fault “slip” is initiated.
b. The focus is the point on the surface directly above the epicenter while
epicenter is the point where fault “slip” is initiated
c. The focus is the point where fault “slip” is initiated while epicenter is the
point on the fault directly beneath the focus.
d. The focus is the point where fault “slip” is initiated while epicenter is the
point on the surface directly above the focus.

How did you find the test? It’s okay if

you’re not yet sure with your answers. As you
go on with this module, you will learn and find
out if your answers are correct. So, buckle up
and get ready with your journey.

4
 Learning Activities

E licit

Before we start our lesson for this

module, let’s revisit how fault is formed and
how movements along fault generate
earthquakes by performing the next task.

Activity: Press ‘n’ Slide

Materials:
tissue paper/newspaper or any soft paper
Procedure:
1. Get a piece of tissue paper/newspaper or any soft paper.
2. Lay it flat on top of a table or any flat surface.
3. Lay your hands on the paper, palms down, with hands touching each other.
4. Press with both hands and then push the right hand forward and pull the left
hand back toward you.
Answer the following questions:
1. What happens to the tissue paper/newspaper or any soft paper?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

2. Which is the “fault” in this setup?

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

3. How is fault formed?

_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

5
4. How do movements along fault formed earthquakes?
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

A fault is formed in the Earth's crust as a stiff

reaction to stress (push-and-pull action). The stress may
cause the rocks to twist or tear apart. The surface where
the rocks break or tear apart is called fault.
You need these concepts for you to better
understand our lesson in this module.

E ngage
To have an idea about the epicenter
and focus of an earthquake kindly read the
news article about an earthquake that hits
Northern Philippines and answer the questions
that follow.

Source: www.unocha.org

6
Questions:

1. Where is the epicenter of the earthquake?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. Where is the focus of the earthquake located?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
3. What do you think is the difference between the earthquake epicenter from its
focus?
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

You will learn more about the focus and

epicenter of an earthquake as you go on the
succeeding activities.

E xplore

In this activity you are going to differentiate focus

and epicenter of an earthquake. Please be guided with the
material and kindly read the procedure carefully.

Activity 1 Where does an earthquake start?

Material Needed:

fault model

Procedure:

1. Using the model you’ve made in the previous module, draw a vertical straight
line from the focus to the upper surface of the model.

7
 2. Mark with a dot the place where you expect the line to come out and label it
as “epicenter”.

Figure 1. (Left) The fault model of two parts that fit together (Right) The flat surface
between the two parts represents the fault plane.

Q1. Where can you find the focus of an earthquake?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Q2. Where is the epicenter of an earthquake located?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Q3. What is the difference between earthquake epicenter and focus?

______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________

Great job! You have completed the activity. Take

time to review and analyze your answers. This
activity enables you to differentiate earthquake
epicenter from its focus.

8
 E xplain

Take time to understand the following ideas or

concepts for you to confirm the results of the
activity you have performed.

You have learned from our previous lesson that an earthquake is a quick
motion or shaky produced by a release of strain accumulated within or along the
edge of Earth’s tectonic plates.

Figure 2. The epicenter of an earthquake is directly above its focus.

Faulting is the most common cause of earthquake in which energy is released

as the rocks break and move, when they do, they cause nearby rocks to move also.
The rocks continue to move until the energy is used up. Figure 2 shows that the
epicenter of an earthquake is directly above its focus. The focus of an earthquake is
the point within Earth where a tremble rupture starts. It is usually located at depths of
about 670 km below the surface, while its epicenter is the point at the surface directly
above the focus.
In activity #1, the focus can be found beneath the Earth’s surface. It is the
place where the first break happens, where the fault starts to slip, where first
movement takes place. It is the starting point of the earthquake. The epicenter is on
the surface of the Earth directly above the focus. The trace of the fault on the surface
of the Earth is called fault line while the flat surface between the two pieces is called
the fault plane.
Geologists have to trace the earthquake focus and epicenter. The closer the
focus of an earthquake to the surface, the greater its damage. While an earthquake
is normally utmost severe at its epicenter, a strong one may cause damage several

9
hundreds of kilometers from the epicenter. The earthquake’s location is a significant
indicator of the damage it may cause.

Now that you have understood the difference

between the earthquake epicenter from its focus, let’s
try to apply what you’ve learned in the next task.

E laborate
Read each paragraph about the earthquakes in the
Philippines, then write the information needed to complete
the table below and answer the question below.

1. 2019 Batanes Earthquake

The main shock of the 2019 Batanes earthquake was the 5.9
magnitude earthquake which had a depth of focus of 43 kilometers
(27 mi). The earthquake occurred at 7:38 a.m. (UTC+8) on July 27, 2019 and the
epicenter was near Itbayat, Batanes. – Source: Wikipedia Article

2. 23 April 2019 Magnitude 6.5 Eastern Samar Earthquake

At 1:37 PM on 23 April 2019, Tuesday, a strong earthquake of Magnitude 6.5

shook the island of Samar and vicinity. The epicenter is located 9 kilometers
northwest of San Julian, Eastern Samar at a depth of 65 kilometers. Small-
magnitude earthquakes followed afterwards. As of 6:00 PM of 23 April 2019, 37
aftershocks have been recorded by the PHIVOLCS-DOST seismic monitoring
network. – Source: https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/primer

3. 10 February 2017 magnitude 6.7 Surigao del Norte earthquake

On 10 February 2017 at 10:03 PM Philippine Standard Time (PST), a

magnitude (M5) 6.7 earthquake struck the Province of Surigao del Norte in
northeastern Mindanao. Using the data from the Philippine Seismic Network
(PSN) of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology - Department of
Science and Technology (PHIVOLCS-DOST), the epicenter was located in
Surigao Strait at 9.80° N and 125.35° E or 16 km offshore northwest of Surigao
City at a shallow depth of 10 km. Source: https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines

10
 Table 1. Earthquake Information
Date Time Epicenter Focus Magnitude

What is the difference between the

epicenter and focus of an earthquake?

Now that you have summarized and

understood important concepts about the difference
between the earthquake epicenter from its focus, let’s
extend your understanding a little further by doing the
next task.

11
 E xtend

Please try to answer these questions in order to

summarize what you have learned in this module.

Directions: In A list the facts that you have learned in this module while in B write the
possible application of these facts in disaster preparedness.

A
B

Great job! You have completed your task. If you

need some clarifications, feel free to ask your teacher.

12
 Vocabulary List

Earthquake – vibration of Earth due to rapid release of energy.

Epicenter – the point on the earth’s surface vertically above the focus of an
earthquake.
Focus - the point within Earth where a tremble rupture starts.
Fault – is a break in the Earth’s crust, and along the break which movement has
occurred.

13
 Post-Test

E valuate

I know that you can now correctly

answer the questions below. The questions
will test how much you have learned in this
module. You can do it!

Directions: Read the questions carefully and choose the letter of the correct answer.

1. Which of the following describes the epicenter of an earthquake?

a. The location where the energy of the earthquake travel.
b. The location where motion in an earthquake is detected last.
c. The point on Earth’s surface directly above the earthquake’s focus.
d. The location along a fault where the first motion of an earthquake occurs.

2. Which of the following statement correctly identifies the focus and epicenter of
an earthquake in the given illustration?

C
B

a. Point A is the focus and Point B is the epicenter.

b. Point A is the epicenter and Point C is the focus
c. Point A is the epicenter and Point B is the focus.
d. Point A is the focus and Point C is the epicenter.
3. An earthquake’s source of energy is located at the _____________, but the
location at the land surface above that point is called the ______________.
a. epicenter, focus c. focus, epicenter
b. fault, hypocenter d. hypocenter, fault

14
 4. Which of the following best describes the location of earthquake epicenter and
focus?

EPICENTER FOCUS

a. point on the Earth's surface place where the fault begins to

located directly above the focus slip

b. origin of the earthquake where the first movement occurs

c. point within Earth where a the point where the edges of the
tremble rupture starts plates give way resulting in
sudden movement which causes
earthquake

d. point where the rocks break lies over the center of the quake

5. Which of the following statements is TRUE about the focus and epicenter of
an earthquake?
a. The focus is the point on the surface directly below the epicenter while
epicenter is the point where fault “slip” is initiated.
b. The focus is the point on the surface directly above the epicenter while
epicenter is the point where fault “slip” is initiated
c. The focus is the point where fault “slip” is initiated while epicenter is the
point on the fault directly beneath the focus.
d. The focus the point where fault “slip” is initiated while epicenter is the
point on the surface directly above the focus.

Good job! You have completed Module for

earthquake epicenter and focus.

Please check your answers by referring to the answer

key. If you scored lower than 4/5, please go over the earlier
parts of this module and take on the activities once again. If
you scored 4 or above, you are now ready for the next
module.
CONGRATULATIONS!

15
 Answer Keys

Pre-Test Answer Keys

Please type the answer keys here:
1. C
2. C
3. C
4. A
5. D

Learning Activities Answer Keys

Elicit
Possible answers.
1. The paper towel will tear similar to a fault.
2. The faults are the boundary between cuts/tears on a paper towel.
3. Faults are caused by earth stresses
4. Earthquakes are caused when faults slip abruptly. The energy from the inside
the Earth makes the ground move, once resistance is overcome, a fault slips
producing earthquakes
Engage
Expected answers.
1. The epicenter of the earthquake was located near Castillejos, Zambales.
2. The focus was 10km depth.
3. The epicenter of an earthquake refers to the location/point on the surface
above the origin of the earthquake, while focus is located below the surface, it is
the first point of movement along a fault where all earthquake waves originate.

Explore

Activity #1
Expected answers.

1. The focus can be found beneath the Earth’s surface. It is the place where the
first break happens, where the fault starts to slip, where first movement takes
place. It is the starting point of the earthquake.

16
 2. The epicenter is on the surface of the Earth directly above the focus.
3. The epicenter is the point on the surface of the earth directly above the focus
while focus is the location where the earthquake begins.

Elaborate
Expected answer.
Table 1. 2019 Earthquake information
Date Time Epicenter Focus Magnitude

July 27, 7:38 Near Itbayat, Batanes 43 kilometers 5.9

2019 a.m. (27 mi)
April 23, 1:37 PM 9 kilometers northwest 65 kilometers 6.5
2019 of San Julian, Eastern
Samar
February 10:03 Surigao Strait 10 kilometers 6.7
10, PM
2017

Extend
A. The epicenter of an earthquake is the point on the Earth's surface directly
above where the rocks ruptured. The focus of the earthquake is where the
rocks actually ruptured. The focus is often miles beneath the Earth's surface.

The closer the focus of an earthquake to the surface, the greater its damage.

B. Having knowledge of epicenter will help in assessing the damage zone where
death and destruction will be maximum, we can rush the support and plan
disaster relief accordingly. Knowing epicenter is the first step in planning post-
earthquake rehabilitation and relief measures, in forewarning of tsunami-
related hazard and in assuring of minimum loss to life and property if it is the
deserted or inhabited region.

Post-Test Answer Keys

Please type the answer keys here:

1. C
2. C
3. C
4. A
5. D

17
 References

Teresita F. Religioso, Lilia G Vengco, and Delia Cordero Navaza. 2017. You and the
Natural World The New Grade 8 Second Edition. Phoenix Publishing House.

Lilia G Vengco, Delia Cordero Navaza and Teresita F. Religioso 2017. You and the
Natural World The New Grade 10. Phoenix Publishing House.

Grade 8 learning Module in Science, Unit 2 Module 2. Phoenix Publishing House.

“Faulting.” 2020. Accessed July 9.

https://www.earthonlinemedia.com/ebooks/tpe_3e/tectonics_landforms/faulting.
html.

“Batanes Quake Damage Estimated at P47 Million .” 2020. INQUIRER NET.

Accessed July 10. https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1147456/batanes-quake-
damage-estimated-at-p47-million.

“Earthquake Model for Focus and Epicenter.” 2020. Accessed July 11.
http://grade8scienceresource.blogspot.com/2014/01/earthquake-model-for-
focus-and-epicenter.html.

“Steps to Locating the Epicenter of an Earthquake.” 2020. Accessed July 11.

https://www.instructables.com/id/The-Steps-to-Locating-the-Epicenter-of-an-
Earthqua/.

“Philippines: Cotabato, Mindanao Earthquakes.” 2020. Information Bulletin.

Accessed July 11. https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/philippines-cotabato-
mindanao-earthquakes-information-bulletin.

“5 Of the Deadliest Earthquakes in Philippine History.” 2020. Accessed July 11.

https://filipiknow.net/earthquake-in-the-philippines/.

“2019 Batanes Earthquake.” 2020. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia . July 12.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019_Batanes_earthquake#:~:text=The%202019%
20Batanes%20earthquake%20was,combined%20effects%20of%20the%20eart
hquakes.

“Primer on the 23 April 2019 Magnitude 6.5 Eastern Samar Earthquake.” 2020.
Accessed July 16. reliefweb.int/report/philippines/primer-23-april-2019-
magnitude-65-eastern-samar-earthquake.

“Surigao-Del-Norte-Earthquake.” 2020. Accessed July 16.

https://reliefweb.int/report/philippines/philippines-10-february-2017-magnitude-
67-surigao-del-norte-earthquake.

18