UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL

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TOTAL SCORE
Laboratory Activity No. 1

Mini Tectonics

I. BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Around the Earth, there are continental plates and smaller plates separated by boundaries. Within those plates are cracked, which are
called faults. The moving of the hot magma in the mantle, allows the movement of the plates, which creates interaction between the plates. These
interactions create or destroy landforms and can generate earthquakes as well. Through seismology, we can study these phenomena, and the
different factors that cause them, and to observe these phenomena for new data. Seismology allows us to understand the interior of the earth and
how we can build structures according to the nature of the terrain.

II. OBJECTIVES
At the end of the activity, the students should be able to:
a. explain the tectonic forces
b. describe the movement of the earth’s crust
c. demonstrate the movement of faults
d. construct a structure that could withstand a simulated earthquake
e. construct a seismograph

III. HYPOTHESIS

Investigation Question: What causes lithospheric plates to move?

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IV. MATERIALS

Brought by students Provided by the laboratory

● Medium-sized shoe box or cardboard box ● Gelatin block

● Paper or plastic cup (2 pcs.) ● Microwavable container
● String (2 yards)
● Permanent Marker
● Scissors
● Long strips of paper or long bond paper (2 pcs.)
● Scotch Tape
● Heavy objects as weights (coins, marbles, or small rocks)
● Toothpicks (50 pcs.)
● Small Styrofoam® (Polystyrenee) balls

Compiled by: P.J. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K. Vidamo

Submitted by: J.P. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K.Vidamo (October 28, 2022)
Reviewed and Approved by: L.Dasas (November 5, 2022)
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL

VI. PROCEDURE

PART A: Create Your Own Seismograph

BUILDING THE SEISMOGRAPH

1. Cut the lid off the shoe box or cardboard box. Stand the box up on one of the smaller sides.
2. Poke two holes opposite each other near the rim (outer edge) of the cup.
3. Cut and tie a piece of string in each hole. The string should be slightly longer than the shoe box or cardboard used.
4. Poke two holes in the top of the box. Make sure that the holes in the box are the same distance apart as the holes in the cup.
5. Then, poke a small hole in the center of the bottom of the cup. Make sure that a tip of a permanent marker can fit.
6. Insert two pieces of strings through holes and tie them together on the top of the box. So, the cup hangs down inside the box. Make
sure that the bottom of the cup is about an inch above the bottom of the box.
7. After tying the cup inside the box, push the marker’s tip through the hole on the cup, so its tip just barely touches the bottom of the
box.
8. Fold a piece of paper in half lengthwise, then fold it in half lengthwise again. Unfold the paper and cut along the fold to form four
equal-sized strips.
9. Then, tape the strips together end to end, to form one long strip.
10. Cut two slits on opposite sides of the shoe box or cardboard box, as close as possible to the bottom edge. The slits should be wide
enough to pass the paper strip through one side, across the middle of the box and out the side, and the other slide.

TESTING THE SEISMOGRAPH

11. Put the box on a flat surface and stabilize it by putting your hands gently on the side of the box. One member of the group should be
prepared to pull the paper strip through the box from one side to the other side.
12. Before shaking the box, let the group member start pulling the paper strip.
13. Shake the box back and forth (approx. 10 seconds), but make sure that the bottom of the box is still in contact with the table as the
group member continues to pull the paper strip at a constant speed.
14. Observe how the line on the paper strip changes. Write your observations in the space provided.
15. Pause your shaking for 5 seconds as the group members pull the paper. Then after 5 seconds, shake the box again but harder (approx.
10 seconds)
16. Pause your shaking for another 5 seconds, then shake the box very gently.
17. Pull the paper strip out of the box and observe the formation of lines in the paper. Write your observations in the space provided.

PART B: Testing Model Structures: Gelatin Earthquake

Building of the structure

1. Sketch the structure to be created. It should contain the following components: the building must be at least 2 toothpicks level high;
the building must contain at least one square and one triangle.
2. After sketching, label the shapes in the sketches and their purpose.
3. After sketching and labeling the structure, prepare the Styrofoam balls, and toothpicks.
4. The gelatin will serve as your ground, and your Styrofoam and toothpicks will serve as the materials for your structures.
5. Build your first structure according to your created sketch.
6. After building, you will now test the stability of your building by shaking the pan with the gelatin base.

Seismic Waves
7. The facilitator will shake the container horizontally to recreate P-waves for 1 minute with a distance of at least 2 inches.
8. Observe what will happen to the building. Did the structure break? Did it withstand the shaking?
9. Write down your observations under the table of the designated waves.
10. Repeat steps 7 to 9 but shake the pan vertically to recreate S-waves.
11. Repeat steps 7 to 9 but shake the pan with a snake-like motion to recreate L-waves.
12. Repeat steps 7 to 9, but shake the pan in an elliptical, retrograde motion to recreate R waves.

Compiled by: P.J. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K. Vidamo

Submitted by: J.P. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K.Vidamo (October 28, 2022)
Reviewed and Approved by: L.Dasas (November 5, 2022)
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL

SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM (5 points)

Note to students: You are expected to do a flow chart of the procedure that you employed for this experiment. MAKE SURE THE
DIAGRAM/FLOW CHART CAN BE EASILY UNDERSTOOD/FOLLOWED BY ANYONE. You may integrate the steps outlined in the
procedure but do not directly copy and paste.

Compiled by: P.J. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K. Vidamo

Submitted by: J.P. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K.Vidamo (October 28, 2022)
Reviewed and Approved by: L.Dasas (November 5, 2022)
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL

V. DATA AND OBSERVATIONS (8 points)

PART A:

SKETCH OF CONSTRUCTED SEISMOGRAPH

OBSERVATIONS

Compiled by: P.J. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K. Vidamo

Submitted by: J.P. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K.Vidamo (October 28, 2022)
Reviewed and Approved by: L.Dasas (November 5, 2022)
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL

PART B:

SKETCH OF GELATIN STRUCTURE

OBSERVATION AFTER SHAKING THE PAN FOR P-WAVES (at least 5 observations in bullet form)

Compiled by: P.J. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K. Vidamo

Submitted by: J.P. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K.Vidamo (October 28, 2022)
Reviewed and Approved by: L.Dasas (November 5, 2022)
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL

OBSERVATION AFTER SHAKING THE PAN FOR S-WAVES (at least 5 observations in bullet form)

OBSERVATION AFTER SHAKING THE PAN FOR L-WAVES (at least 5 observations in bullet form)

Compiled by: P.J. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K. Vidamo

Submitted by: J.P. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K.Vidamo (October 28, 2022)
Reviewed and Approved by: L.Dasas (November 5, 2022)
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL

OBSERVATION AFTER SHAKING THE PAN FOR R-WAVES (at least 5 observations)

VI. ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

1) Why is accuracy, the closeness of a measurement to the actual value, important when it comes to earthquake instruments? (2 points)

2) When it comes to building infrastructures, why is it important to know the characteristics and properties of the materials to be used as well as
the ground where it will be built upon? Give an example. (3 points)

Compiled by: P.J. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K. Vidamo

Submitted by: J.P. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K.Vidamo (October 28, 2022)
Reviewed and Approved by: L.Dasas (November 5, 2022)
 UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS
EDUCATION HIGH SCHOOL

3) In planning the layout of the building, do you think it is necessary to plan out how the building will collapse? Why or why not? (3 points)

VII. GENERALIZATION (6 points)

REFERENCES
● Sciencish. (2017, February 19). How to Make Ballistics Gel [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50bub2s723g

● Todd, J., Straten, M., Zarske, M. S., & Yowell, J. (2020, November 16). Testing Model Structures: Jell-O Earthquake in the Classroom.
TeachEngineering. https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_natdis_lesson03_activity1

● Vanstone, E. (2021, April 23). Make a Model Seismometer. Science Experiments for Kids. https://www.science-sparks.com/make-
model-seismometer/

Compiled by: P.J. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K. Vidamo

Submitted by: J.P. Adalem, P. Bernate, T. Narca, K.Vidamo (October 28, 2022)
Reviewed and Approved by: L.Dasas (November 5, 2022)