EarthquakeJoin now to read essay EarthquakeEarthquakeAn earthquake is an unpredictable event in which masses of rock shift below the Earths surface, releasing enormous amounts of energy and sending out shock waves which sometimes cause the ground to shake dramatically. Not all earthquakes cause calamity, but they are known to be one of the Earths most destructive forces. Entire structures, including houses and dams, have been known to collapse in an earthquake.
Earthquakes occur along fault lines, which are boundaries of different layers, or plates, of rock masses on the crust and within the Earth. The movement of one immense plate can shift great masses of weight and pressure onto other weaker layers. When this pressure gives way, an earthquake can take place.
An earthquakes power can be measured in two ways: by intensity and magnitude. While intensity of a quake is usually described through peoples perceptions and the severity of building destruction, magnitude is measured by using seismographs or devices which detect ground movement. These magnitude measurements also allow scientists to precisely compare earthquakes around the world.
People have been experiencing and describing the effects of earthquakes well before scientific measuring devices were available. But intensities were more formally rated in the late 1800s and later refined around 1930 when the United States adopted and revised an early European version called the Mercalli scale.
The Modified Mercalli scale has twelve different ratings, ranging from Level I, which is described as ” barely felt except by a very few,” to Level V, which is described as “more widely felt, causing some windows to break.” By Level VIII, damage to buildings is evident and by Level X, many structures completely collapse. Despite the usefulness of its precise ratings, the Modified Mercalli scale could not accurately measure earthquakes in uninhabited areas. This is why the shock waves, or the measurements of ground vibrations, are recorded to help scientists understand the true power of each earthquake. When earthquakes occur, three different types of shock waves vibrate
The Modified Mercalli scale has twelve different ratings, ranging from Level I, which is described as ₴ barely felt except by a very few,₴ to Level V, which is described as “more widely felt, causing some windows to break.₴ By Level VIII, damage to buildings is evident and by Level X, many structures completely collapse. Despite the usefulness of its precise ratings, the Modified Mercalli scale could not accurately measure earthquakes in uninhabited areas. This is why the shock waves, or the measurements of ground vibrations, are recorded to help scientists understand the true power of each earthquake. When earthquakes occur, three different types of shock waves vibrate
The Modified Mercalli scale has twelve different ratings, ranging from Level I, which is described as ₾ slightly felt except by a very few,₾ to Level V, which is described as “more widely felt, causing some windows to break.₾ By Level VIII, damage to buildings is evident and by Level X, many structures completely collapse. Despite the usefulness of its precise ratings, the Modified Mercalli scale did not work in areas without faults.
The Modified Mercalli scale has twelve different ratings, ranging from Level I, which is described as › lightly felt except by a very few,› to Level V, which is described as “more widely felt, causing some windows to break.› By Level VIII, damage to buildings is evident and by Level X, many structures completely collapse. Despite the usefulness of its precise ratings, the Modified Mercalli scale often did not work in areas without faults.
The Modified Mercalli scale features “normal” ratings, with the following features: In many instances, however, the scale has been incorrectly assigned a normal rating instead of its rating of “Good.”
The Modified Mercalli scale features “excellent” ratings, with the following features: In some instances, however, the scale has been incorrectly assigned a good rating instead of its rating of “Good.”
The Modified Mercalli scale features “excellent” ratings, with the following features: In some instances, however, the scale has been incorrectly assigned a good rating instead of its rating of “Good.”
The Modified Mercalli scale features “high” ratings, with the following features: In several instances, the scale is assigned “high”