Some things to pay attention to and not to do during an earthquake are:
- Don't stand next to the edge of a building, edges tend to collapse first.
- Try to stand in the top floor of building; that way, if the floors start falling you'll be on top.
- Don't go outside unless you're in a big empty space- out on the street you can get hit by cars affected by the earthquake, have buildings collapse on you, and have many things fall on you and hurt you.
- Try to stand somewhere where you're protected- such as under a bed, under a desk, or under doors- these are very firmly attached to the building.
- Avoid places where you might get objects falling on top of you, such as bookshelves, other shelves, places with paintings on the walls, underneath a clock, underneath the curtains, ext.
- Always try to protect your head with your hands, wherever you are.- If you're outside, lie down on the ground away from buildings.
- If you're in your car, drive away from bridges, buildings, power lines, and tall trees, and stay in your car. - After the earthquake is over, drive very carefully, as roads may be damaged from the earthquake.
- Stay away from electricity, since lines could be broken.
After finding all of this information, I made a family escape route in the case of an earthquake coming in the night.
Robert and Oscar:
Robert goes to Oscar's bed, which is right underneath his. The bed is securely fastened to the wall, and they have protection from robert bed above. Also, there is no framework on Oscar's wall, only posters of soccer players :) When Robert and Oscar evacuate the building, they would either take the normal house entrance outside, or if it’s locked they could go out on the terrace and take the stairs outside.
Mom and Dad:
Both my parents go underneath their bed, which is quite sturdy. This will keep them safe from all the stuff that's hanging on the walls and the bookshelves, and they would be lying down. When they evacuate they would take the back door next to the kitchen outside.
Me:
I would either go underneath my desk, which is quite sturdy, or I would stand underneath the doorway, which is about half a meter wide. Perhaps my desk wouldn't be such a good idea because of all the electronic stuff attached to the wall, so maybe the doorway would be a better idea. When I have the chance to evacuate the building, I would jump out of my window and get out of the house.
Below is a sketch of my room I drew, and in black you can see my furniture and exits, while in green you can see all the dangerous areas who wouldn't be safe to stand in during an earthquake.
In the case of an earthquake, it is always good to have an earthquake safety kit. Every family member should have their own. These are the main things that should be part of your safety kit:
-Whistle
-first aid kit with basic supplies including bandages, splint, gauze, hydrogen peroxide, cotton balls, analgesics and any essential medications
-blanket
-canned food and can opener – this should last for you for three days
-WATER!!! Very important!
-Extra warm clothes
-A little cash, just in case
-Flashlight and extra flashlight batteries
-Knife, duct tape, screwdriver, scissors, bandages, and other tools
-Personal documents
These are some of the issues in my family and in our house that may be a problem if we are hit by an earthquake:
1.It is too far to jump outside from any windows, except for mine. You have to use the two doors to get outside or go outside using the terrace leading to the garden.
2.My house is cluttered with paintings, pictures, and shelves on the walls. We also have three huge bookshelves in the living rooms, with books stacked in everywhere. This wouldn’t be very earthquake safe.
3.We have a lot of glass lights on the ceilings, which could very easily fall down. (I say this with experience, we threw a tennis ball at it and it rocketed back and forth for like forever )
Did you know that the force of the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami wave has killed over 200,000 people? That in less than 24 hours a tsunami can travel over the Pacific Ocean? And that unlike other waves, tsunami waves don’t curl nor break? A tsunami is a series of huge waves happening after an undersea disturbance. These include volcanic eruptions, landslides, meteors, other movements on the earth’s surface and most importantly earthquakes. The waves travel in all directions radiating out from the disturbance, and collect mass and volume as they travel. Out at sea, these waves travel inconspicuously and usually unnoticed, since they are mostly underneath the water surface. Even a wave travelling very quickly, such as 700 kilometers per hour, is only one meter high out at sea. At one point, however, these waves reach the shore. Because of the continental shelf, instead of growing larger underneath the water surface the tsunami starts gaining height and smashes onto the shore. The waves can be as high as 100 feet. When these waves hit the shore, they cause tremendous destruction. The great energy from a tsunami can lift boulders, flip vehicles, and demolish houses. This is why they are so feared.
Effects of Tsunami
Where the ocean is deep, tsunamis can travel unnoticed on the surface at speeds up to 500 miles an hour (800 kilometers an hour), crossing an ocean in a day. These tsunamis then have terrible effects. In a tsunami affected region, people will be altered in many ways. We lose lives, friends and families. Property is lost or destroyed, and livestock is ruined. Jobs are lost, and money is scarce, leading to a negative impact on the region’s economy. Extreme changes will be made to community’s lifestyles. Tsunamis don’t only have negative effects on people, but also on the environment. Many wild and domesticated animals will be killed, or will have their natural habitats destroyed, which might lead to extinction. The sea will be cluttered with debris. Land next to the sea will be completely wiped out, and precious coral reefs and mangrove areas (if in tropical climate) will be crushed by the wave, that can take decades to grow back. As you can see, tsunamis aren’t something to mess around with and can deeply alter anyone’s lifestyle.
Earthquake/Seismograph Detection Systems
An earthquake is a natural tsunami warning, as most tsunamis throughout history have been caused by underwater earthquakes or other tectonic movement. The place where the first slip in the rock or jagged motion is made is called the focus, deep down in a fault underground. The epicenter is located above the focus, and is where the first seismic waves are formed. This can be a meter above the focus, or 50 kilometers. When the seismic waves start radiating from the epicenter, the earthquake is first created. The shaking of the ground radiates at a constant speed. Earthquakes are measured and recorded using an instrument called a seismograph. Seismographs all around the world record these movements, and they can tell if the earthquakes are big or small, using the seismograms produced. A seismograph is made up of a pen hanging on a string. This string is attached to something steady, and the pen should not be moving. When the ground moves, the pen draws the movements. The results are squiggly lines called seismograms, and from these we can measure the earthquakes, and make tell whether they are big or small and what kind of a tsunami they would produce. However, we cannot state that every earthquake ever made will cause a tsunami matching up with its size, since not many out of the millions of the earthquakes that have happened throughout history have caused tsunamis. There is no way to know if a submarine earthquake will cause a tsunami, not even Tsunami Warning Centers can tell. Therefore, although seismograms are very precise and helpful devices, they are only the first line of defense against tsunamis, but on their own they would lead us to false alarms.
Animal Sensory
Animal sensory is another way of predicting when exactly a tsunami is about to happen. It is believed that animals have a kind of “sixth sense”, which save them from vast tsunamis and earthquakes. Many animals possess the quality of being able to detect tsunamis in advance. Snakes were seen slithering out from their dens in the middle of winter hibernation. Elephants were breaking the chains tying them to trees and running up hills, carrying the tourists on their backs to safety. Dogs refused to go outside. Flamingos avoided their lower lying breeding areas. Zoo animals rejected leaving their shelters. Scientists have been trying to see if there is any possible way for humans to use this animal sense for better tsunami warning systems, but have so far been unsuccessful. Wildlife experts believe that animals can hear or feel the seismic waves in the earth. They can know a natural disaster is arriving long before humans might detect that something is there. Therefore, if we see that the animals are acting strange in areas with a potential chance of a tsunami, we can assume that something might be happening deep out at sea coming right toward us.
Buoy and Satellite Warning System
Deep- Ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART) are sensors using deep- sea pressure changes to sense tsunami waves. They were first invented by the Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) in the United States. These are buoys placed far our at sea, preferably at least at 3000 meters depth. The buoys are composed of two parts: the sensors on the ocean floor, and the buoy on the water surface. The sensors have quartz crystal resonators to measure pressure and temperature far down in the ocean. It records the changes in water pressure and sends all of the information to the buoy thousands of meters overhead. The sensors are capable of recording changes as small as a millimeter in the water surface. They buoy passes the information on via satellite, which gives it to the hands of the tsunami warning center. If an unusually strong current or if there’s a lot of pressure detected with the sensors on the ocean floor, it gets switched from “standard” to “event” mode. “Standard” mode is the normal mode, where the sensors collect information and send it up to the buoys every 15 minutes or so. However, when a buoy is changed into “event” mode, information is gathered and sent up every one minute. This happens when there is potential for a tsunami overhead, and when the seismic waves are especially strong. When the tsunami warning center receives these pieces of information, they send out warnings to the places at risk. That is when the buoys have completed their task and the responsibility is on the local operation centers for getting the community ready for a possible tsunami.
Impacts on Warning Systems on Society
Many changes have been made to present day communities to withstand stronger tsunamis and to make us safer. Today children are being educated at an early age and being opened up to the potential danger of a tsunami. Whole communities are aware of exactly what they should do in case they hear a tsunami warning signal. Safer houses are being built to resist tsunamis and other natural disasters. Some things that tsunami safe houses have are metal connectors to strengthen the houses frame, bolts to hold the house to its concrete foundation, and plywood to strengthen walls. Many people have tsunami safe buildings, and the governments are encouraging them even more. Newer buildings have to be stronger and more flexible, and older ones have to be added to to survive stronger forces. Governments have also adapted after tsunamis have occurred. For example, after the 2004 tsunami of the Indian Ocean, the government decided to rebuild the destroyed cities and small towns further away from the coastline. It was forbidden to build any construction within 100 meters in the Southwest and 200 meters in the Northeast from the sea. Many improvements have been made over warning systems over the years, and much money has been spent by our governments to try to keep our communities as tsunami- safe as possible.
These are some safety tips that are essential to follow in the case of a tsunami:
1.Go to high ground, preferably least ten meters above sea level.
2.Use your local radio for information about the wave.
3.Do not use your mobile phone unless in the case of a life- threatening emergency.
4.Know your evacuation routes and paths.
5.Prepare yourself beforehand to stay on your own for three days, with a supply kit.
6.Tsunamis are likely to travel up streams or rivers that lead to the ocean. Avoid these as you would avoid the beach.
7.Don’t travel by car, for roads might be broken, and footpaths are usually the best paths to high ground.
8.If you are unable to go to high ground, go inlands. If you are unable to do that, go to the top floor of a building, preferably three stories or above. As a last resort, climb a sturdy tree.
Remember: A tsunami is a series of waves, and the first wave might not be the most dangerous one. Stay at high ground until you can hear the “all safe” signal.
As you can see, tsunamis are a serious issue and can lead to great damage; which is why we should be prepared and aware of them in all situations. We can use seismographs to detect earthquakes, the main cause of tsunamis, but although a large earthquake is arriving we cannot know that it is going to form a tsunami. Animals can let us know through their behavior if there are large seismic movements, so we should always be aware and notice our surroundings. Using buoys and satellite systems we can detect changes deep down in the ocean and send out warnings to places at risk, but even these won’t stop the tsunami entirely from happening. We always have to be prepared for a tsunami to strike, and follow all the warnings and steps to survive. Although we have excellent government protection, seismographs, animals’ “6th sense”, buoys and satellite systems, when we narrow it down it is us the responsibility is on, we are in charge of keeping ourselves safe.
Bibliography
"Tsunami Facts: How They Form, Warning Signs, and Safety Tips." National Geographic News, 2 Apr. 2007. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. .
Gardiner, Lisa. "What Is a Tsunami?" Windows to the Universe. National Earth Science Teachers Assiciation, 21 May 2008. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. .
Mott, Maryann. "Did Animals Sense Tsunami Was Coming?" National Geographic. National Geographic News, 4 Jan. 2005. Web. 23 Feb. 2011. .
"FEMA For Kids: Tsunami." FEMA | Federal Emergency Management Agency. Web. 25 Feb. 2011. .
Quirkie. "How Does a Tsunami Warning System Work? | Answerbag." Answerbag.com | Ask Questions, Get Answers, Find Information. Web. 24 Feb. 2011. .
"Tsunami Safe(r) House." MIT SENSEable City Lab. Web. 25 Feb. 2011. .
1. a) A seismograph is a device used to measure and record seismic waves. b) Seismic waves cause the seismograph's drum to vibrate, while the suspended weight and the pen attached moves very little. Therefore, the pen stays in place while the paper moves, drawing squiggly lines, which then create a seismogram. c) The stronger earthquake would have waves with a larger amplitude than the smaller earthquake. 2. a) The tiltmeter, creepmeter, laser-ranging devices, and GPS satellites. b) Tiltmeter: Horizontal and vertical Creep meter: Horizontal Laser- ranging device: Horizontal GPS satellites: Vertical and horizontal c) That the faults are closer pressed together, increasing earthquake risk. 3. a) 1- to map and detect changes along faults. 2- to monitor changes along faults 3- to try to predict earthquakes b) They use the reflected wave from the fault, and to record the fault's length and depth. c) By finding out how much friction there is along the sides of a fault we can estimate how big of an earthquake is going to be made. Little friction: Little or no earthquake Moderate friction: Small earthquake Big friction: Big earthquake
Guiding Question: Can you design and build a seismograph that can record the movements of simulated earthquakes?
Hypothesis: I think that we will be able to design a seismograph, using the materials we have available in the classroom and on the balcony, and that it will work successfully.
Materials:
·Wire
·Chair
·Long piece of wood
·Shorter piece of wood
·Two nails
·Paper
·Scissors
·Tape
·Markers
·Table
·Play dough
·Hammer
Procedure:
1.Attach your small piece of wood to the top of your big piece of wood, using two nails for stability and a hammer. Then, lean your construction on a chair, on top of the table you are working on.
2.Take a marker and take its cap off and put it on top of it. Take your wire and tape it to the non- draw-able side of the marker.
3.Attach your wire(which is taped to the marker) to your wood construction. It should be taped to the smaller piece of wood, at the very tip. Make it so that the tip of the marker is in contact with the table surface. See picture below:
4.Attach the play dough to the point where the wire and the pen meet. Make sure the pen is still exactly in line with the floor. The play dough should make the pen heavier and give it more stability. See picture below:
5.You have now completed building your seismograph! Now, you have to make your own earthquake. Have one person put a piece of paper right underneath the markers tip. This should leave a dot on the piece of paper. First, do a trial only pulling the piece of paper under the marker. This should leave you with a somewhat straight line.
6.Now, have another trial. Get another piece of paper, and again put it right underneath the marker. This time, while one person slides and pulls the paper slowly through underneath the marker, the other person shakes the table. Try shaking the table lightly at first, and then get more violent.
7.Do this two more times, so that you have three trials in total.
8.You are now done building a seismograph, creating your own seismogram and making your own seismic waves!
Data:
Data Analysis:
Looking at my data, I can see that it took a long time for us to build a seismograph with successful results. It took a lot of trials, and many changes to our original sketches. We were eventually able to tell that the earthquakes with more powerful waves had longer lines on the seismogram. They would also be the earthquakes causing more damage, since when we shook the table the chair fell off. The smaller earthquakes would be the smaller squiggly lines on the seismogram, which we created by rocking the table slightly back and forth. The straight line would be when the table wasn't moving, or when there is no earthquake. That's because there are no vibrations, so nothing is causing the table to move to make the paper go back and forth.
Conclusion:
This lab has taught me not only how to build a seismograph, but also how to record information and how to tell the difference in large seismic activity and small seismic activity looking at seismograms. The small squiggly lines represent the smaller earthquakes. The larger, longer lines with more amplitude are the large earthquakes causing a lot of damage. I have learned that squiggly lines actually mean something, and that when a line isn’t squiggly it means that it’s not moving, or moving very little.We made a number of changes as we went along. A major change we made was when we made the wire longer so that it touched the floor, instead of having it dangling in mid- air drawing squiggly, unattached lines on a toilet paper roll. This made our seismograph more stable. It made it easier for the marker to draw consistently and not only random dots and squiggles all over the page. Another change we made was when we had Mrs. M hold the whole structure, making it stand up straight instead of leaning on the chair, and stopping it from shaking when the table shook. We also experimented a lot with the play dough, and used it as a weight on the pen but also as a marker for the toilet paper roll. When we used it as a weight for the wire and marker it was also hard to make it exactly balanced, and not make it tilt the pen to one side making it unable to reach the floor exactly. We had to get the laws of gravity exactly right. One more problem Monica and I had while we were doing our tests was that we had to hold the marker and the wire straight, to keep it from dangling, like it did when the table moved. We fixed this by having another wire to hold the marker straight, like a barrier. This was also when we added more play dough to the wire so that it was heavier and dangled less(gravity). All of these changes helped us create the successful seismograph. From notes in section 2 and talking in class, Monica and I made our first sketch of the seismograph. Off course, we had to change it a lot along the way, but the basic design came from there. Also, from the notes we took I learned what a seismograph was, how you used it and how to read seismograms, so they were probably the most important information we collected in this project. This lab has helped me understand seismographs and how they are used around the world, and how scientists study and read seismograms. This is information that will probably come to use in future life, and next time there's an earthquake nearby I can always make a handmade seismograph and measure it!
Further Inquiry:
If I were to do this lab again I might try it without using wood, and maybe create my seismograph from a chair or cardboard, or perhaps even attach it to the wall. I would also like to try a test in which I create two seismographs, only that one is with wire and the other one with loose string. I kind of need to visualize how the two would be different, since I don’t really see how the wire is better than the string. One limitation we had was the amount of wood. We needed three pieces, but we only had two available on the terrace. This lead to us modifying our sketch, and instead of having a piece of wood to rest the seismogram on we had it on a table instead and used a chair for support. This worked, and was probably just as efficient. With seismographs we can detect movements in the earth and measure earthquakes. When we are able to measure earthquakes, we might notice patterns in earthquakes located in a certain area, and be able to predict how powerful the earthquakes will occur. This could help people prepare for earthquakes, and even save lives. Seismographs also help us compare earthquakes all around the world, and help us understand the natural disasters surrounding us in everyday life.
at the very tip. Make it so that the tip of the marker is in contact with the table surface. See picture below:
