Name Class Date

Physical & Human Geography SEC TION 1.4

section THE EARTH Use with Physical & Human Geography, Section 1.4, in your textbook.

GeoActivity Go to Interactive Whiteboard GeoActivities at

myNGconnect.com to complete this activity online.

1. 4 TH E R I NG O F F I R E

Draw the Stages of an Earthquake 1. Identify Events Based on the description of the stages of an earthquake,
draw each stage in the appropriate box below.
Earthquakes happen without warning and pass quickly. However,
conditions within Earth build up for a long time before they occur.
Read about the stages of an earthquake and answer the questions.

Stage 1 Pressure Buildup At fault lines, two tectonic plates are

moving in one of three ways. They might be pushing toward each
other, with one plate moving under the other. This is called a
subduction fault. They could be pulling apart, in a spreading fault,
or they could slide alongside each other in a transform fault.
Stage 1 Stage 2

Stage 2 Earthquake As plate movements happen slowly over time,

pressure builds up along the fault line. When the pressure becomes
too great, one or both plates move suddenly and an earthquake
occurs. The sudden movement releases a large amount of energy.
The most energy is felt at the point where the movement occurred.
This point is called the epicenter.

Stage 3 Spreading Waves Within seconds, waves of energy

spread out in all directions from the epicenter. These waves can Stage 3 Stage 4
cause damage many miles away from the epicenter.

2. Draw Conclusions Based on what you have read here and in your textbook,
Stage 4 Aftershocks Sometimes the plates move one or more do you think earthquakes or volcanoes are more destructive? Explain why.
times after the initial earthquake. These later movements are called
aftershocks. They usually are not as strong as the earthquake itself.

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