EARTH’S STRUCTURE,
ANATOMY OF AN
EARTHQUAKE, AND
EARTHQUAKE
REPORTERS:
BAUL, CRISTY GIE
LLAGONO, MARY GENELYN
MANUPAC, AMMER
PACIOL, JENNY
Earthquakes
Earthquakes are a shaking and vibration of the land surface. Such a phenomenon
commonly is produced when rocks rupture during brittle failure along an old or new fault
releasing stored up elastic strain energy as heat and seismic waves.
Seismograph is the device used to record the vibrations produced during an
earthquake.
Seismic waves are waves of energy that elastically distort the material that they
travel through.
Seismic waves include body and surface waves.
BODY WAVES
P-waves - stands for primary, because these are the fastest seismic waves and are the
first to be detected once an earthquake has occurred. P-waves are predominantly
compressional waves. P-waves travel through liquids and gases as well as through solids.
S-waves- stands for secondary, because they are the second-fastest seismic waves.
They move by material flexing or deforming sideways (shearing) from the direction of
wave travel. S-waves can travel only through solids, because only solids have rigidity. S-
waves cannot travel through liquids or gases
SURFACE WAVES
Rayleigh Waves- Rayleigh waves as they move along the surface of the Earth
distort it into a form much like an ocean wave.
Love Waves- Love waves displace Earth material at the surface in a horizontal snake‐
like motion. They do not travel through water.
Hypocenter and Epicenter
Hypocenter- The region of initiation of seismic energy within the Earth during an
earthquake. This is the initial region along which a new fault forms or an old fault
ruptures
Epicenter- Point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus
in an earthquake.
EARTH’S STRUCTURE
The structure of the Earth is divided into layers. These layers are both physically and
chemically different.
The crust is the outermost layer of the Earth. It is made of solid rocks. It is mostly
made of the lighter elements, silicon, oxygen, aluminium.
There are two types of crust: oceanic and continental
Continental crust, varying in thickness from 20 to 200 kilometres, is not as dense as
its oceanic counterpart. Primarily composed of granite, this crust is indestructible and
significantly older than oceanic crust, with an age reaching up to 3.8 billion years.
Oceanic crust, with a thickness ranging from 5 to 10 kilometres, consists
predominantly of dense basalt. When oceanic crust converges with continental crust at a
destructive plate boundary, it descends into the mantle. This is known as subduction.
The mantle is the layer of the Earth right below the crust. It is made mostly of oxygen,
silicon and the heavier element magnesium.
The Earth's core is made of solid iron and nickel, and is at about 5000–6000 °C. which
is about the temperature of the photosphere of the Sun.
Outer core is a liquid layer below the mantle.
Inner core is the very center of the Earth
Between the Earth's crust and the mantle is a boundary called the moho.
The shape of the earth is an oblate spheroid, because it is slightly flattened at
the poles and bulging at the equator.
ANATOMY OF AN EARTHQUAKE
An earthquake is a sudden and violent shaking of the ground caused by the movement
of tectonic plates beneath the Earth's surface.
Why do Earthquakes Occur?
Earthquakes happen because of movements in the Earth's crust, which is the outermost
layer of the Earth. The Earth's crust is not one solid piece but is divided into several large
sections called tectonic plates. These plates are constantly moving, although very slowly,
due to the heat from the Earth's core.
The anatomy of an earthquake involves several key components:
Faults- Earthquakes occur primarily along faults, which are fractures in the Earth's crust
where movement has occurred. The movement can be vertical, horizontal, or a
combination of both.
Focus (Hypocenter)- The point within the Earth where an earthquake originates is called
the focus or hypocenter. It is usually located several kilometers below the Earth's
surface.
Epicenter- The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus is called the
epicenter. This is the point where the earthquake's effects, such as shaking and damage,
are usually most severe.
Seismic Waves- When an earthquake occurs, it generates seismic waves that radiate
outward from the focus in all directions. There are several types of seismic waves,
including primary (P-waves), secondary (S-waves), and surface waves (Love waves and
Rayleigh waves). These waves cause the ground to shake as they travel through the
Earth.
Magnitude- Earthquakes are measured on the Richter scale or the moment magnitude
scale. Magnitude indicates the energy released by an earthquake at its source. Larger
magnitude earthquakes generally produce more significant shaking and can cause more
extensive damage.
Intensity- Intensity measures the effects of an earthquake at a particular location, taking
into account factors such as the distance from the epicenter, local geology, and building
construction. The Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale is commonly used to assess
earthquake intensity.
Aftershocks: Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur in the same general area as
the mainshock, usually within days to months afterward. They can cause additional
damage and can be particularly dangerous in areas already weakened by the initial
earthquake.
Earthquake Intensities
I. Not felt except by a very few under especially favorable conditions.
II. Felt only by a few persons at rest, especially on upper floors of buildings.
III. Felt quite noticeably by persons indoors, especially on upper floors of buildings.
Many people do not recognize it as an earthquake. Standing motor cars may
rock slightly. Vibrations similar to the passing of a truck. Duration estimated.
IV. Felt indoors by many, outdoors by few during the day. At night, some
awakened. Dishes, windows, doors disturbed; walls make cracking sound.
Sensation like heavy truck striking building. Standing motor cars rocked
noticeably.
V. Felt by nearly everyone; many awakened. Some dishes, windows broken.
Unstable objects overturned. Pendulum clocks may stop.
VI. Felt by all, many frightened. Some heavy furniture moved; a few instances of
fallen plaster. Damage slight.
VII. Damage negligible in buildings of good design and construction; slight to
moderate in well‐built ordinary structures; considerable damage in poorly built
or badly designed structures; some chimneys broken.
VIII. Damage slight in specially designed structures; considerable damage in
ordinary substantial buildings with partial collapse. Damage great in poorly built
structures. Fall of chimneys, factory stacks, columns, monuments, walls. Heavy
furniture overturned.
IX. Damage considerable in specially designed structures; well‐designed frame
structures thrown out of plumb. Damage great in substantial buildings, with
partial collapse. Buildings shifted off foundations.
X. Some well‐built wooden structures destroyed; most masonry and frame
structures destroyed with foundations. Rails bent.
XI. Few, if any (masonry) structures remain standing. Bridges destroyed. Rails
bent greatly.
XII. Damage total. Lines of sight and level are distorted. Objects thrown into the air
EFFECTS OF EARTHQUAKE
Landslides:
Earthquakes can trigger landslides by destabilizing slopes and causing the
movement of soil, rocks, and debris downhill.
Ground Rupture:
In areas where the Earth's crust is under high stress, earthquakes can cause
the ground to rupture or crack along faults.
Liquefaction
occurs when water-saturated soil temporarily loses its strength and stiffness during
an earthquake, behaving like a liquid. This phenomenon is most common in areas
with loose, sandy soils.
Tsunamis
earthquakes occurring beneath the ocean floor can generate tsunamis, which are
large ocean waves that can travel across vast distances.
