Earthquakes & Plate Tectonics
1. What is the global pattern of earthquake distribution? Where are belts of shallow and deep-focus earthquakes? How is this pattern related to the distribution of Earth's lithospheric plates and plate boundaries?
2. Describe the theory of plate tectonics. What observations led to its discovery? How do we know that plates are in motion? What is its driving mechanism?
3. What physical properties characterize elastic and plastic materials? How do elastic and plastic materials respond to stress? What controls these material properties? How are these properties related to the occurrence of earthquakes?
4. Describe the different types of geological faults observed on the earth's surface. How are they related to plate tectonic environment? To applied stresses? How can we measure movement along faults?
5. Describe the theory of elastic rebound. What is the evidence in support of this theory? How does it relate to the concept of the earthquake cycle?
6. How are earthquakes measured? Describe the principle of the electromagnetic seismograph. What are the principal types of seismic waves that are recorded by seismographs? How can they be used to compute the location of an earthquake?
7. What can seismology tell us about the internal structure of the Earth? What is the seismic evidence for the existence of the crust, mantle, and core of the Earth?
8. How do we describe the size of an earthquake? How do the seismic intensity and earthquake magnitude scales work?
9. How can we predict the occurrence of future earthquakes? Describe the methods used for long-term earthquake forecasting and for short-term earthquake prediction.
10. What are the various secondary effects of earthquakes? What conditions make areas susceptible to each of these effects? What can be done to mitigate these hazards?
11. What causes buildings to collapse during earthquakes? Describe the characteristics of a building that put it at risk for earthquake collapse. How can earthquake engineering be used to mitigate the hazards of building collapse?
