Earthquakes | Science Project

Areas of Science	Geology
Difficulty
Time Required	Average (6-10 days)

*Note: For this science project you will need to develop your own experimental procedure. Use the information in the summary tab as a starting place. If you would like to discuss your ideas or need help troubleshooting, use the Ask An Expert forum. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions and offer guidance if you come to them with specific questions.

If you want a Project Idea with full instructions, please pick one without an asterisk (*) at the end of the title.

Abstract

Visit the USGS Earthquake Hazards Program to find out about global patterns of earthquake incidents (USGS, 2006). Can mapping earthquakes help identify fault lines? They also have a list of science fair project ideas. Another great resource for earthquake-oriented science fair projects is by Jeffery Barker (Barker, 1994). Build a model to study the forces of an earthquake using sandpaper-covered blocks. What are the forces involved? How are stress and friction in balance along a fault line? How would changing the grit of the sandpaper affect your model? You can also use a Slinky to investigate the difference between P and S seismic waves. How do they compare? You can also do an experiment to test different building designs for earthquake stability. Which designs are most stable? (Barker, 1994; USGS, 2006)

Bibliography

Barker, J., 1994. "Demonstrations of Geophysical Principles Applicable to the Properties and Processes of the Earth's Interior," Presented at the NE Section GSA Meeting, Binghamton, NY, March 28-30, 1994. [access 1/27/10] http://bingweb.binghamton.edu/~jbarker/demos.html.
USGS, 2006. "Earthquake Hazards Program," United States Geological Survey (USGS) [accessed 3/23/06] http://earthquake.usgs.gov/.

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MLA Style

Science Buddies Staff. "Earthquakes." Science Buddies, 28 July 2017, https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Geo_p030/geology/earthquakes. Accessed 20 Jan. 2020.

APA Style

Science Buddies Staff. (2017, July 28). Earthquakes. Retrieved from https://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project-ideas/Geo_p030/geology/earthquakes

Last edit date: 2017-07-28

Experimental Procedure

For this science project you will need to develop your own experimental procedure. Use the information in the summary tab as a starting place. If you would like to discuss your ideas or need help troubleshooting, use the Ask An Expert forum. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions and offer guidance if you come to them with specific questions.

If you want a Project Idea with full instructions, please pick one without an asterisk (*) at the end of the title.

Ask an Expert

The Ask an Expert Forum is intended to be a place where students can go to find answers to science questions that they have been unable to find using other resources. If you have specific questions about your science fair project or science fair, our team of volunteer scientists can help. Our Experts won't do the work for you, but they will make suggestions, offer guidance, and help you troubleshoot.

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If you like this project, you might enjoy exploring these related careers:

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Cartographer or Photogrammetrist

Maps can give us much more information than ways to get from A to B. Maps can give us topographic, climate, and even political information. Cartographers and photogrammetrists collect a vast amount of data, such as aerial data and survey data to produce accurate maps and models. For example, by collecting rainfall data, a cartographer can make an accurate model of how rainfall can affect an area's watershed. The maps and models can then be used by policy makers to make informed decisions. Read more

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Abstract

Bibliography