Physical Geology

Lab 07A: Scientific

Method and Earthquake

AnalysisDR. GREGG WILKERSON

MICHAEL OLDERSHAW

1

SOLUTIONS ARE IN RED

DOWNLOADS AND LINKS

Scientific Method Introduction and Earthquake Lab (.pdf)

Scientific Method Lab Quiz

Go to https://www.oercommons.org/courses/geology-4/view

-In Module 1 do the following exercises:

-a- ”Self Check: Scientific Processes in Geology”

-b- “Reading: Scientific Models”

-c- “Reading: Geologic Modeling”

Sumatra Earthquake

Q1: What part of the Scientific Method

process is represented by the locations of all

the earthquakes?

OBSERVATION

Q2: Develop a hypothesis to explain the locations

of the earthquakes (include how location varies

with depth).

THE EARTHQUAKES

ARE FOLLOWING

THE SUBDUCTION

ZONE

Q3: What would you do to test your hypothesis?

LOOK FOR SIMILAR

GEOMETRIC

RELATIONSHIPS

BETWEEN

EARTHQUAKES AND

SUBDUCTION ZONES

AT OTHER

CONVERGENT

MARGINS

Q4: Where would you expect the strongest

earthquakes be on the map?

WITHIN THE

SUBDUCTION

ZONE THAT IS

WHERE THE

MAXIMUM

STRAIN IS

DEVELOPED

Q5: Give two reasons

why this is the case?

1. EARTHQUAKES ARE

CAUSED BY CRUSTAL STRAIN.

2. STRAIN IS CONCENTRATED

AT SUBDUCTION ZONES

Q6: What would you expect to see on the surface along

the blue line (hint, look on the cross section and note the

shallow earthquakes about where the blue line is)?

A FAULT

SCARP