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Earthquakes and plate tectonics
Why the ground sometimes shakes: moving plates, stuck faults, seismic waves, magnitude and how scientists find where an earthquake started, plus how to stay safe. Based on the US Geological Survey, the British Geological Survey and the Royal Observatory of Belgium. Three ages, each with a text, an experiment, a game, a quiz, a printable worksheet and a teacher sheet.
Ages 6–7When the ground shakesThe ground under our feet feels still, but the Earth's outside is made of giant pieces that move very slowly. Find out what an earthquake is, how to stay safe, and test shaky towers.Ages 10–11Stuck plates and seismic wavesHow moving plates build up energy on faults, what the epicentre and magnitude are, how often earthquakes happen, and an earthquake in our own region. With a stick-slip model you can test.Ages 15–16Seismic waves, magnitude and locating earthquakesP- and S-waves, seismometers, locating an epicentre by triangulation, the logarithmic magnitude scale, earthquake frequency and the limits of prediction. With a data investigation to find an epicentre.