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Year 6 - Geography

Measuring earthquakes

Earthquakes: how do they change the world?

Unit Summary

This unit explores the causes and effects of earthquakes. Pupils learn where and why they occur, how they are measured, and what can be done to prepare for and respond to them. Case studies include Japan (2011) and Turkey (2023).

Lesson Summary

You will learn to describe and explain how we measure earthquakes.

Key Notes

  • The focus of an earthquake is deep underground - seismic waves radiate out from the focus.
  • The epicentre is on the surface, directly above the focus and is where the earthquake is felt most strongly.
  • The power of an earthquake is called its magnitude and is measured on the Richter scale.

Vocabulary To Learn

  • focus: The point inside Earth's crust where the earthquake starts is called the focus.
  • epicentre: The epicentre is the point on Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
  • seismic waves: Seismic waves are vibrations that travel through Earth generated by an earthquake or an explosion.
  • magnitude: Magnitude is a measure of the size of the seismic waves generated by an earthquake.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

  • Earthquakes are their strongest at their epicentre.

3 Quick Questions (With Answers)

1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.

The focus of an earthquake is deep underground - seismic waves radiate out from the focus. The epicentre is on the surface, directly above the focus and is where the earthquake is felt most strongly.

2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'focus'

The point inside Earth's crust where the earthquake starts is called the focus.

3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.

Mistake: Earthquakes are their strongest at their epicentre. Correction: Earthquakes are felt their strongest at their epicentre as that is where humans first feel them. Earthquakes are actually their strongest at their focus point, but humans do not feel them until seismic waves have travelled through the Earth's crust.

More Lessons In This Unit

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