Department of Education

National Capital Region

Schools Division of Parañaque City
Self – Learning Module
Science 8 Quarter 2 Week 2
Earthquakes and Faults

Learning Competencies
a. Differentiate the epicenter of an earthquake from its focus.
b. Differentiate intensity of an earthquake from its magnitude.
c. Differentiate active and inactive
faults. (S8ES-IIa-15)

Lesson Objective:
● Differentiate epicenter from focus and intensity from magnitude
● Discuss the scale adopted in the Philippines to describe the intensity and
magnitude of an Earthquake
● Using a map, locate and describe Active and Inactive faults in the
Philippines.
Brief Introduction
Have you ever experienced an earthquake in your area? How many times have you
experienced an earthquake? Well, nobody really knows the exact occurrence of an
earthquake. All earthquakes start beneath the Earth's surface. It occurs along boundaries
which are made up of many faults.

You might have probably heard from the news about intensity and magnitude when an
earthquake occurs. Scientists determine an earthquake impact or intensity using the Mercalli
Intensity Scale. Another way to measure the size of an earthquake is to compute how much
energy is released by an earthquake. Richter Scale, also called the Richter Magnitude Scale
is an absolute scale which measures the amount of seismic energy released by an
earthquake. However, Richter Scale does not provide accurate estimates for large magnitude
earthquakes Today, scientists preferred to use Moment Magnitude Scale (MW) because it
worked over a wide range of earthquake sizes. The PHIVOLCS Earthquake Intensity Scale
(PEIS) is a seismic scale used and developed by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (PHIVOLCS) to measure the intensity. It measures how an earthquake is felt in a
certain area based on the effects of an earthquake on structures and surroundings.

Faults are classified according to their activity such as Active Faults and Inactive Faults
While, the majority of the faults in the earth's crust are classified as Inactive Fault or dead

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faults because their activities were cancelled several hundred years ago. Do you live near
Active faults? In this module, you will learn where Active and Inactive faults are found.

Let’s Recall

Directions: Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence. Find the secret word formed by the
letters inside the squares. Write your answer on a separate sheet of paper.

1. __ __ __ __ __ - are fractures in the earth’s crust where rocks move and slide past
each other.

2. __ __ __ __ - is the place where an earthquake originates.

3. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __- is the place on the surface of the earth directly above the
focus.

4. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __- is the measure of the released energy of an earthquake.

5. __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ - is the measure of the effects of earthquakes on people,

structures and surroundings.

SECRETWORD: ______________________________
- It is the point below the epicenter.

Let’s Understand

Epicenter and Focus

The Focus (Hypocenter) is where the first movement happens, or where fault starts
to slip. Also, it is the starting point of an earthquake. On the other hand, Epicenter is the spot
directly above the focus on the surface of the Earth.
The Shallow focus earthquakes tend to be
more damaging than deeper focus earthquakes and
the shaking is more intense from quakes that hit close
to the surface while a deep focus earthquake may be
less damaging, but they are more widely felt. If two
earthquakes of the same strength have the same
epicenter, the one with the shallower focus causes
more damage because Seismic Waves from a deep
Figure 1: The epicenter and the focus
focus earthquake lose more of their energy as they
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epicenter
travel further up to the earth’s surface.

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 The Intensity is represented by Roman Numerals (example: I, V, IX).
Furthermore, the intensity of an earthquake is affected by several factors such as distance
from the epicenter, defective building designs and substandard materials used, kind of
ground (rock, sand and others) where structures are built and slope of land where houses
are built.
The Magnitude is expressed in Hindu Arabic Numerals (example: 1,3,6,9). The
Richter Scale is a numerical scale for expressing the energy released of an earthquake
from the data recorded by a seismograph. Naturally, the greater the magnitude is the
stronger the earthquake.

The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS) uses the scale
below to describe the intensity of an earthquake based on the effects on people, structures,
and surroundings.

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 Magnitude 2 earthquakes are weak. Magnitude 4 earthquakes are strong enough to
be felt by most people. Magnitude 6 earthquakes can cause a lot of damage in populated
areas and magnitude 9 quakes are so powerful that they can destroy whole communities at
the epicenter

There are several techniques scientists use to identify if a fault is active. First, is by
checking the country’s historical record about destructive earthquakes in the past. Second,
by observing the surroundings and by studying vibrations both past and present that

come from faults. It is necessary to know where active faults are found to avoid dangers
and destructions brought about by an earthquake.

If you are going to locate an active fault in the map, you must consider two (2)
imaginary lines: The latitude (horizontal rows) and longitude (vertical rows). To cite

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 an example, at 11.8 o N (latitude) and 124 o E (longitude), from these two points we can
locate the Masbate Island Fault which is along the Masbate Fault. Please refer to Figure 4

Let’s Analyze
A. Directions: Answer the following questions briefly. Write your answer on a separate
sheet of paper.
1. When an earthquake occurs, where would you expect to have the greater
damage and more shaking of the ground? Near the epicenter or away from the
epicenter? Explain your answer.
2. Why do you think it causes a lot of damage at the epicenter when the
earthquake originates on a shallower focus? Explain your answer.
3. Where do shallow focus earthquakes occur?

B. Directions: Using the map below (figure 4), plot the points of latitude and
longitude of some active faults in the Philippines and complete the other
information needed in the table. Do this on a separate sheet of paper.
LOCATION
(Luzon, Visayas,
No. LATITUDE LONGITUDE NAME OF FAULT Mindanao)

1. West Ilocos Fault

2. Infanta Fault

3. Zamboanga Fault

4. Central Mindanao
Fault

Central Marinduque
5.
Fault

Let’s Apply

Directions: Answer the following questions briefly. Write your answer on a separate sheet of
paper.

1. Is there an Active Fault passing by in your town, province, or region? If so, write
down at least five things you should do or you should advise people living near active
faults?
2. Give at least three (3) ways used by scientists in locating active and inactive faults.

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3. Why is it important to know the location of active and inactive faults in our country?

Figure 4: Distribution of Active Faults in the Philippines

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/54/91/72/549172b71abe09a0d2f46fb13aae9a9b.pn

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 Let’s Try
Directions: Choose the letter of the correct answer. Write your answer in the answer
sheet.

1. What would you expect to occur from an earthquake that measured V on the
intensity scale?
A. balanced objects are disturbed slightly. C. stuff would fall off your shelves
B. cracks in the streets and bridges D. most buildings are totally damaged
2. Which describes the effects of ground shaking at different locations?
A. Epicenter B. Focus C. Magnitude D. Intensity
3. Which point within the earth where an earthquake begins?
A. Focus B. Epicenter C. Fault D. Seismic Waves
4. It can lead to a lot of damage in highly populated areas.
A. Magnitude 3-4 B. Magnitude 4-5 C. Magnitude 6 D. Magnitude 8-9
5. A scale which uses the vibrations from earthquakes recorded by a seismograph?
A. Mercalli Scale B. Richter Scale C. Seismogram D. Qualitative Scale

Let’s Create

Intensity of an Earthquake

Goal: You are to draw a scenario when an earthquake strikes in your area.
Role: You are an artist
Audience: Science teacher and students
Situation: Suppose an Intensity VI earthquake strike in an area where the epicenter is,
what will happen to people, structures, or surroundings in it?

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 Performance: You will be graded according to the rubrics below:
Criteria Developing Standard Exemplary Total
Points
Illustration of 1-4 pts. 5-7 pts. 8-10 pts.
targeted Does not illustrate Illustrate some of the Correctly 10
concepts targeted concepts. targeted concepts. illustrates the
targeted
concepts.
Originality 1-2 pts. 3-4 pts. 5 pts.
Lack of originality Moderately Shows 5
in artwork. shows originality originality in
in artwork. artwork.
Creativity 1-2 pts. 3-4 pts. 5pts
Lack of Demonstrates Demonstrates 5
imaginative moderate imaginative
thinking, output imaginative skills, thinking, output
produced has no output produced has produced has
innovative or some innovative and innovative and
unique unique unique qualities.
qualities. qualities.
Total:

Description: 1-8 - Poor 9-15 - Good 16-20 - Very Good