EARTHQUAKES

& FAULTS
PREPARED BY: ERWIN C. INCEPIDO
 Using models or illustrations, explain
how movements along faults generate
earthquakes S8ES -IIa - 14

 Differentiate the epicenter of an

earthquake from its focus; 2 intensity
of an earthquake from its magnitude;
3 active and inactive faults S8ES -IIa -
15
How do earthquakes occur
and how are they
detected?

How can people be prepared

for earthquakes?
 ACTIVE and INACTIVE FAULTS

 EARTH CRUST

The
surface/outermost
layer of the Earth
Earth’s Crust Two Sections
Continental Crust
Makes up Earth’s landmasses
Oceanic Crust
Found in the ocean floor and
usually thinner than continental
crust
Why are some parts of the crust
thicker than other?

How does the crust change its shape

over time?
 Some force is at work pushing and
pulling on the crust causing changes
on the surface and often well
beneath the surface

• This push-pull is called stress

• As rocks undergo stress, they slowly change shape and

volume.
What can stress do to rocks?
A rock to become more compressed or squeezed

Becomes smaller in volume

•
• A rock to stretch out over a large area.
• The volume increases
• The rock to twist or tear apart.
• Causes the formation of fault
What can stress do to rocks?
A rock to become more compressed or
squeezed

• Becomes smaller in volume

• A rock to stretch out over a large area.
• The volume increases
• The rock to twist or tear apart.
• Causes the formation of fault
What is a fault?

Fracture in rocks along which

movement occured.

Some faults may cause the ground to

crack, rise or lower.
Two blocks of a faulted rock

Hanging Wall
• The block of rock above the fault

Foot Wall
• The block of rock below the fault
 Kinds of fault
Normal Fault/Normal Dip-slip Fault

• If a stress pulls the rocks apart

due to tension, the hanging wall
will move down relative to the foot
wall.
 Kinds of fault

Reverse Dip-slip Fault/ Thrust Fault

• If stress squeezed the rocks due

to compression, the hanging wall
will move up relative to the foot
wall.
 Kinds of Fault
Strike – slip Fault/Wrench Fault

The blocks move by sliding and slipping along

each other horizontally but in opposite directions.
 Active faults
are structure where there is displacement

Usually produce a shallow earthquake

One that has moved in the past and expected to move again.
 Inactive Faults
 are structures that can be identified but
which do not cause earthquakes.

• If a fault has been inactive for million

years, it is safe to call it inactive.
 PHIVOLCS
PhilippineInstitute of Volcanology and
Seismology

• Philippines has several fault lines

• Faults and trenches are found in the
entire country
• Trenches are the deepest part of
the oceans and are usually V-
Shaped.
Faults & Trenches
Are found close to the continents

Near strings of islands.

Near these TRENCHES:

– The crust is active causing stress and
creating faults.
 About trenches…
 Scientist
believe that the ocean floor is
being pushed down deep into Earth along
the trenches
 When these rocks are pushed deep enough,
they are melted by the heat of Earth.
 Some of the molten rocks will rise up
through the crust and produce volcanoes
but most of it will become part of the
Earth’s Mantle.
EARTHQUAKE Focus and Epicenter

Earthquake…

• Shaking and trembling of earth

that results from the sudden
movement of Earth’s crust
Faulting…

• The most common cause of earthquake

During Faulting…

• Energy is released as the rocks

break and move.

• As they move, they cause the

nearby rocks to move also.

• The rocks continue to move this way

until the energy is used up.
 Tsunami…
Giant ocean wave cause by Earthquake
that occur on the ocean floor.

• These waves can travel at speed of 700 –

800km/h.
• Can be as high as 10 – 20 meters (as they
approach the coast).
• The effects are devastating
• One of the world’s worst natural disaster
 Focus

• The point/region where an earthquake

ruptures and the rocks break

• hypocenter

• Underground point of origin of an

Earthquake.
 Epicenter

• The point on Earth’s surface directly

above the focus

• This where the most violent shaking

of the ground occurs.
 Focal Depth

• The distance between the

focus and the epicenter
Earthquake Waves…
• Seismic Waves

• Are the waves of energy caused by

the sudden breaking of rock within
the Earth or an explosion.

• They are the energy that travels

through Earth and is recorded on
seismographs.
Three main types of Seismic
Waves
 Primary Waves (P Waves)
• The fastest of the seismic wave
• The first to arrive at a seismic
station before any other type of
seismic wave
• Can move through the solid rocks
and fluids (like water and liquid
layers of Earth)
Three main types of Seismic
Waves
• Can move through the solid rocks
and fluids (like water and liquid
layers of Earth)
 Three main types of
Seismic Waves

Secondary Wave (S Wave)

• The second wave you feel in an
earthquake
• S wave is slower than a P wave and
can only move through solid not
through liquid or gases
What happens to S
WAVES when they
reach the liquid part
of the earth?
• S waves move rock particles up
and down, or side – to – side -
perpendicular to the direction the
wave is traveling in.
 Three main types of
Seismic Waves
Surface Wave (L Wave)
Travel from focus directly upward
to the epicentre.
Earth’ssurface moves up and down
with each L wave that passes
Cause most of the damage during
the earthquake because they bend
and twist Earth’s surface.
 Seismograph…
An instrument that detects and measures
waves.

Seismograms…
• Seismograph’s record of the waves.
 Richter Scale…

 Measures how much energy an

earthquake releases by assigning the
earthquake number from 1 to 10.

• The more energy the earthquake

releases, the stronger the
earthquake is.
 Earthquake Magnitude and
its Effects
Richter Magnitude Effects Near Epicenter
2.0 and below Generally not felt, but recorded

2.0 – 2.9 Potentially perceptible

3.0 – 3.9 Felt by some

4.0 – 4.9 Felt by most

5.0 – 5.9 Damaging Shocks

6.0 – 6.9 Destructive in populous regions

7.0 – 7.9 Major earthquake; inflict serious damage

8.0 and above Great earthquake; Destroys communities

near epicenterr