LESSON 1

Natural Hazards

Earthquake Risks
Key Concept
• Why are some areas
What do you think? Read the two statements below and decide more likely to experience
whether you agree or disagree with them. Place an A in the Before an earthquake than
column if you agree with the statement or a D if you disagree. After others?
you’ve read this lesson, reread the statements to see if you have
changed your mind.
Before Statement After
All earthquakes occur at plate boundaries.

Earthquakes can be predicted.

Mark the Text

Where do earthquakes occur? Identify the Main Ideas

Write a phrase beside each
The map below shows where earthquakes occur on Earth.
paragraph that summarizes
Few earthquakes occur in the middle of a continent. Most the main point of the
earthquakes occur in the oceans and along the edges of paragraph. Use the phrases
continents where tectonic plates meet. to review the lesson.

Eurasian Plate
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

North American Eurasian Plate

Plate
Juan de Fuca Plate Caribbean
Plate
Philippine Plate Arabian Plate
Cocos Plate African Plate
Pacific
Plate
Indo-Australian Nazca
Plate Plate
South
American
Plate

Scotia Plate
Earthquake epicenter
Antarctic Plate
Antarctic Plate Plate boundary

Reading Essentials Natural Hazards 1

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.
 Earthquakes and Plate Boundaries Notice the pattern in the
map between earthquakes and plate boundaries. Earthquakes
result from the buildup and release of stress along plate
boundaries. Imagine bending a stick until it breaks. When the
stick snaps, it vibrates, releasing energy. Earthquakes release
energy in a similar way. Earthquakes are the vibrations in the
ground that result from movement along breaks in Earth’s crust.
These breaks are called faults. A fault is a break in Earth’s crust
along which movement occurs.
Scientific Vocabulary Why do rocks move along a fault? The forces that move tectonic
force plates also push and pull rocks along a fault. If these forces become
(noun) a push or a pull large enough, the blocks of rock on either side of the fault can
move past each other. The rocks might move vertically (up or
Scientific Vocabulary down) or horizontally (sideways). The size of an earthquake
tectonic plates depends on the amount of force applied to the fault. The greater
(noun phrase) the large the force applied to a fault, the greater the chance of a large and
sheets of rock that form
destructive earthquake occurring. Earthquakes can occur anywhere
the surface of the Earth
between Earth’s surface and depths of greater than 600 km.
Academic Vocabulary
vertical How are earthquakes measured?
(adjective) going straight Earthquakes range from barely noticeable vibrations to
up and down devastating waves of energy. Magnitude describes the amount of
energy released by an earthquake. Scientists have developed
Academic Vocabulary several methods for measuring an earthquake.
horizontal
Earthquake Magnitude The Richter magnitude scale is a
(adjective) flat and level
numerical rating system that measures the energy, or magnitude,
of the largest seismic waves produced by an earthquake. This
scale is based on the height, or amplitude, of earthquake waves.
The waves are measured using a tool called a seismograph.
The Richter scale uses the amount of ground motion at a

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

given distance from an earthquake to determine magnitude.
Each increase of one unit on the Richter scale represents
10 times the amount of ground motion. For example, a
magnitude 8 earthquake produces 10 times greater shaking
than a magnitude 7 earthquake does and 100 times greater
shaking than a magnitude 6 earthquake does (10 × 10).

1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 5.0 6.0 7.0 8.0 9.0 10.0
A magnitude 1 earthquake produces 10 times
10
greater shaking than a magnitude 2 earthquake.
A magnitude 4 earthquake produces 100 times
100 or 10²
greater shaking than a magnitude 2 earthquake.
A magnitude 6 earthquake produces 1,000
1,000 or 10³ times greater shaking than a magnitude 3
earthquake.

2 Natural Hazards Reading Essentials

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.
 The differences in the amounts of energy released by
earthquakes are even greater than the differences between the
amplitude of their waves. For each increase of one unit on the Scientific Vocabulary
scale, an earthquake releases 32 times more seismic energy. For seismic
example, a magnitude 6 earthquake releases approximately (adjective) relating to or
1,024 times more energy than a magnitude 4 earthquake caused by earthquakes
does (32 × 32).
Moment Magnitude Scale When an earthquake is first
reported, the Richter magnitude scale is usually applied first.
After further study, the moment magnitude of the earthquake
can be determined. The moment magnitude scale is a rating
scale that measures the energy released by an earthquake,
taking into account the size of the fault that breaks, the motion
that occurs along the fault, and the strength of the rocks that
break during an earthquake. Both scales measure the magnitude
of an earthquake, and can produce similar readings. However,
the moment magnitude scale uses newer technologies to
produce a more accurate measurement of an earthquake.
Modified Mercalli Scale Another way to measure and
describe an earthquake is to examine the amount of damage
that results from the shaking. Shaking is directly related to the
intensity, or strength, of an earthquake. The Modified Mercalli
scale measures the intensity of an earthquake based on
descriptions of its effects on people and structures. The scale
ranges from I, an earthquake that people do not feel, to XII, an
earthquake that destroys everything. The higher the number is,
the greater the effects.
Earthquake Damage The amount of damage from an
earthquake depends on the strength of the earthquake, the
nature of surface materials, the design of structures, and the
distance to the epicenter. The epicenter is the point on Earth’s
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

surface directly above where the energy from an earthquake is

first released. Often, the area closest to the epicenter will suffer
the most damage.

Reading Essentials Natural Hazards 3

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.
 What factors affect the amount of
damaged caused by an earthquake?
Earthquakes are relatively common along plate boundaries.
Scientific Vocabulary An earthquake of magnitude 5 can devastate one area along a
factor boundary, yet cause little harm to another area. Many factors
(noun) one thing that determine how much damage an earthquake causes. These
influences or causes a factors are called earthquake hazards. Scientists can help
situation
prevent some damage and loss of life by identifying an area’s
earthquake hazards.
Word Origin Structural Failure A nearby guitar string tuned to the same
frequency frequency will begin to vibrate by itself in response to the sound
from Latin frequentia, waves traveling through the air. This is resonance. Seismic waves
means "crowded" can generate the same kind of resonance in structures “tuned”
to the same frequency as the seismic waves. This can result in
structural failure. Structures can fail in different ways. They can
Scientific Vocabulary fail when supporting walls are weak, or when the height of a
sway building causes the building to violently sway. The table below
(verb) to move back and describes two ways structures can fail.
forth
Structural Damage
Pancaking Pancaking happens when the supporting walls of the
Scientific Vocabulary
ground floor of a building fail. This causes the upper
debris floors to fall and collapse as they hit lower floors. The
(adjective) the pieces that resulting debris resembles a stack of pancakes, so the
are left after something is process is called pancaking.
destroyed
Building Structural failure can result because of the height of a
Height building. All structures have natural frequencies of
vibration. Tall buildings sway with a natural period that
depends on their heights and other factors. The higher
the building, the longer its natural period of vibration is.
Seismic waves with the same period as that of a tall
building can cause the building to sway violently and
collapse during an earthquake.

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

Land and Soil Failure In addition to factors related to a
building’s structure, an area’s geology can contribute to
structural failure. The shaking of an earthquake produces more
damage in areas covered by loose sediment than it does in
places built on solid bedrock.
Wet soil can be strong most of the time, but the shaking from
an earthquake can cause it to act more like a liquid in a
phenomenon called liquefaction. The liquid-like ground is not
strong enough to support heavy buildings. So part of a building
can sink into the ground, causing the building to collapse.
Liquefaction is responsible for most damage to buildings after
an earthquake occurs. In sloping areas, earthquakes can trigger
massive landslides. A landslide is the rapid downhill movement
of soil, loose rocks, and boulders.
4 Natural Hazards Reading Essentials
THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.
 Tsunami You have learned about the hazards associated with
earthquakes that occur on land. But what happens when
earthquakes occur on the ocean floor? A tsunami is a large ocean
wave generated by vertical motion of the seafloor during an
earthquake. A tsunami can be caused by an underwater
earthquake. Far from shore, a tsunami has a short wave height,
often less than 30 cm high. However, the wavelength can be
hundreds of kilometers long. As a tsunami nears shore, it slows
down and grows higher. Many tsunamis grow only a few meters
high as they move onto shore. But some can rise as high as
30 m. The water from a tsunami is driven by powerful energy
from an earthquake. As a result, tsunamis can cause major
damage.

What determines if an area is at high

risk for earthquakes? Academic Vocabulary
Earthquakes can be devastating to places and people. For devastating
this reason, scientists work hard to determine when and where (adjective) causing great
earthquakes will likely occur. An area’s earthquake risk is based damage or harm
in part on how often it experiences an earthquake. Areas that
experience the most earthquakes are at greater risk.
In the United States, the highest risk of earthquakes occurs
near tectonic plate boundaries of the western states. The Science Use v. Common Use
transform plate boundary in California and the convergent plate transform
boundaries in Oregon, Washington, and Alaska have the highest Science Use horizontal
earthquake risks. However, not all earthquakes occur near plate relative motion
boundaries. Some parts of the central and eastern United States Common Use to change
have high earthquake risk because of past activity. Their risk is
based on their geologic history. Areas that experience earthquakes
in the past will likely experience earthquakes again.
Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

How can scientists predict when an

earthquake will happen?
The probability that you will be affected by an earthquake
depends on where you live and whether that area experiences
tectonic activity. Scientists can tell you how likely it is that your
area will experience an earthquake, but they cannot tell you
exactly when the earthquake will occur.

Reading Essentials Natural Hazards 5

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.
 Predicting Earthquakes Earthquakes cannot be predicted
reliably. But scientists can determine where earthquakes are
most likely to occur in the United States. This helps cities plan
for future earthquake events. Cities can take action to reduce
damage and loss of life. Areas at high risk for earthquakes help
drive the need for earthquake safe technologies.
Scientific Vocabulary Reducing the Impacts of Earthquakes Scientists evaluate
probability risk in several ways. They study the probability that an
(noun) how likely earthquake will occur in an area. They study past earthquake
something is to happen activity, the geology around a fault, the population density, and
the building design in an area. Engineers use these risk
assessments to design buildings that can withstand the shaking
during an earthquake. City and state government officials use
risk assessments to help plan and prepare for future
earthquakes. Given the damage earthquakes can cause, it is
important for scientists to learn as much as possible about
earthquakes to try and reduce their impact on society.

Reread the statements at the beginning of the lesson. Fill in

the After column with an A if you agree with the statement or a
D if you disagree. Did you change your mind?

Copyright © McGraw-Hill Education. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.

6 Natural Hazards Reading Essentials

THIS MATERIAL IS PROVIDED FOR INDIVIDUAL EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY AND MAY NOT BE DOWNLOADED OR FURTHER DISTRIBUTED.