How does Earthquake happen? | Earthquake explained using #3D Simulator | Physics Simulator -Letstute

Summary

This educational video script delves into the science behind earthquakes, explaining how they are caused by the movement of tectonic plates and the release of energy. It outlines the structure of the Earth, from the core to the crust, and details the types of seismic waves: P-waves, S-waves, and surface waves. The script also touches on the Richter scale for measuring earthquake magnitude and the potential for prediction. It concludes with a call to action for viewers to explore an interactive 3D simulation and stay informed about earthquake safety.

Takeaways

• 🌍 Earthquakes are caused by the release of energy from moving tectonic plates, generating waves that cause the earth's surface to shake.
• 🧩 The Earth's surface is made up of around 19-20 tectonic plates, which move continuously due to being placed on a hot, partially molten layer of the mantle.
• 🌋 Earthquakes occur in the lithosphere region, starting from a point called the hypocenter, with the epicenter being directly above it on the surface.
• 📊 Earthquakes are measured using the Richter scale, which ranks earthquake magnitude from 0 to 10, with 10 being extremely destructive.
• 🛠 A seismograph or seismometer detects seismic waves, which are created by the movement of tectonic plates and recorded to measure earthquake intensity.
• 🌊 Earthquakes generate two main types of waves: body waves (P waves and S waves) and surface waves, with surface waves being the most destructive.
• 🌡 The inner core of the Earth is a solid sphere with extreme temperatures (4,500 to 5,500°C) and pressures, surrounded by the outer core, mantle, and crust.
• 💥 Earthquake magnitudes between 0 to 2 are barely noticeable, while anything above 7 can cause major destruction to cities and buildings.
• 🔬 Geologists use seismic waves to track earthquakes, and radon and thoron gas concentrations might help predict earthquakes up to seven days in advance.
• 📱 Modern technology, including smartphones and NASA's QuakeSim software, helps detect seismic activity and could improve earthquake prediction and early warning systems.

Q & A

What causes earthquakes?

Earthquakes are caused by the release of energy that generates seismic waves, which travel in all directions and cause the shaking of the Earth's surface. This energy is released due to the movement of tectonic plates.

What are tectonic plates?

Tectonic plates are the 'jigsaw puzzle pieces' of the Earth's lithosphere, which are continuously moving over the partially molten layer of the Earth's mantle.

How fast do tectonic plates move?

Tectonic plates move around 1 to 10 centimeters each year, though not all movements are felt by humans.

What is the hypocenter and epicenter of an earthquake?

The hypocenter is the point within the Earth where an earthquake originates, and the epicenter is the exact place on the Earth's surface directly above the hypocenter.

What is the Richter scale?

The Richter scale is a measure used to express the magnitude of an earthquake, which relates to the amount of energy released during the event.

What are seismic waves?

Seismic waves are the waves created by the movement of tectonic plates that can be detected by a seismograph.

What are the two types of waves formed during an earthquake?

The two types of waves formed during an earthquake are body waves, which move through the Earth's interior, and surface waves, which cause the most destruction as they move along the Earth's surface.

What are P-waves and S-waves?

P-waves, or primary waves, are the first seismic waves to be recorded on a seismograph and cause the ground to shake back and forth in the direction of the wave's movement. S-waves, or secondary waves, cause the ground to move perpendicular to the direction of the wave and are often felt as tremors and vibrations.

What is the significance of the 1960 Valdivia earthquake?

The 1960 Valdivia earthquake in southern Chile was the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, with a magnitude of 9.5 on the Richter scale.

How can we predict earthquakes?

Earthquakes are difficult to predict, but scientists use seismographs and data from devices like smartphones to detect seismic waves. Recent studies suggest that detecting high concentrations of radioactive gases like radon and thoron released from the ground could help predict earthquakes up to seven days in advance.

What can individuals do to stay safe during an earthquake?

Individuals should stay informed about earthquake safety, have an emergency plan, and know how to react when an earthquake occurs, such as taking cover under a sturdy table or desk.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Understanding Earthquakes

This paragraph introduces the concept of earthquakes as a natural phenomenon resulting from the release of energy that causes seismic waves. It explains that the Earth is composed of tectonic plates that float on a partially molten layer of the mantle, causing continuous movement. Earthquakes occur when these plates shift, and the energy released is felt at the Earth's surface. The hypocenter is the point within the Earth where the earthquake originates, while the epicenter is the point on the surface directly above it. The paragraph also mentions the most devastating earthquakes recorded, such as the 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile and the 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan, emphasizing the scale of destruction they caused. Geologists use seismographs to detect seismic waves, and earthquakes are measured on the Richter scale, which correlates to the energy released during the event.

05:00

📊 Earth's Structure and Earthquake Magnitude

The second paragraph delves into the layers of the Earth, including the crust and mantle, and how they relate to earthquakes. It discusses the Richter scale in more detail, explaining the different magnitudes of earthquakes and their potential impacts. The paragraph uses a hypothetical simulation to illustrate how earthquakes of varying magnitudes can cause不同程度的 damage to structures and the environment. It describes the types of seismic waves—primary (P) waves and secondary (S) waves—that are generated during an earthquake and how they differ in their movement and effects. The simulation demonstrates the increasing damage as earthquake magnitude increases, highlighting the destructive power of major earthquakes.

10:02

🔍 Predicting Earthquakes and Safety Tips

The final paragraph focuses on the challenges of predicting earthquakes and the potential for using technology, such as smartphones and NASA's Quake Sim software, to improve prediction and warning systems. It mentions recent studies suggesting that detecting high concentrations of radioactive gases like radon and thoron could provide early warnings of an impending earthquake. The paragraph concludes with safety tips for individuals during an earthquake and a call to action for viewers to engage with the educational software 'Scholar' developed by Escobell, encouraging continuous learning and curiosity about natural phenomena.

Keywords

💡Earthquake

An earthquake is a sudden shaking or震动 of the Earth's surface caused by the release of energy in the Earth's crust, which creates seismic waves. In the video, earthquakes are explained as a natural phenomenon resulting from the movement of tectonic plates. The script describes how these movements can sometimes be strong enough to cause significant damage, as seen in historical events like the 1960 Valdivia earthquake in Chile.

💡Tectonic Plates

Tectonic plates are the large pieces into which the Earth's lithosphere is divided. They are constantly moving due to the convection currents in the Earth's mantle. The script mentions that there are about 19 to 20 of these plates, and their movements, though usually not felt, can sometimes result in earthquakes when they interact with each other.

💡Hypocenter

The hypocenter, also known as the focus, is the point within the Earth where an earthquake originates. The video script explains that this is the location from which seismic waves are first generated during an earthquake, and it is the starting point for the energy release that causes the shaking felt at the surface.

💡Epicenter

The epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the hypocenter. It is the area where the effects of an earthquake are most strongly felt. The video uses the term to illustrate where the most damage would occur during an earthquake, as it is the point on the surface that aligns with the energy release beneath.

💡Seismic Waves

Seismic waves are the waves of energy that travel through the Earth's layers following an earthquake. The video script describes two types of seismic waves: body waves, which travel through the Earth's interior, and surface waves, which cause the most damage as they move along the surface. These waves are what cause the shaking and potential destruction during an earthquake.

💡Seismograph

A seismograph, also known as a seismometer, is an instrument used to detect and measure seismic waves caused by earthquakes. The video script explains that geologists use seismographs to record the magnitude and other details of earthquakes, which helps in understanding the energy released and the potential impact of the seismic event.

💡Richter Scale

The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude or size of an earthquake. The video script mentions that the scale ranges from 0 to 10, with 0 representing the smallest detectable earthquakes and 10 representing the largest possible earthquakes. The scale is used to classify earthquakes based on the energy they release.

💡P-Waves (Primary Waves)

P-waves, or primary waves, are the first type of seismic waves to be recorded by a seismograph and are the fastest moving waves. As described in the video, P-waves cause the ground to move back and forth in the same direction as the wave is moving, similar to the motion of sound waves. They are indicative of the initial energy release during an earthquake.

💡S-Waves (Secondary Waves)

S-waves, or secondary waves, are slower than P-waves and cause the ground to move up and down and side to side, which is perpendicular to the direction of the wave's travel. The video script explains that S-waves are felt as strong shaking and are responsible for much of the damage caused by earthquakes because they cause the most intense ground motion.

💡Surface Waves

Surface waves are seismic waves that travel along the Earth's surface and are the slowest and most destructive type of seismic wave. The video script describes how surface waves cause the most damage during an earthquake because they cause the ground to move in complex ways, leading to the collapse of structures and posing a significant risk to life and property.

💡Magnitude

In the context of earthquakes, magnitude refers to the measure of the energy released by an earthquake, as indicated by the Richter scale. The video script uses the term to explain the different levels of intensity and potential damage that earthquakes can cause, with higher magnitudes corresponding to more severe earthquakes.

Highlights

Earthquakes are caused by the release of energy that generates waves, causing the shaking of the Earth's surface.

The Earth is composed of 19 to 20 tectonic plates that float on a hot, partially molten layer of the mantle.

Tectonic plates move continuously, causing vibrations that can sometimes be felt as earthquakes.

Earthquakes occur in the lithosphere region and release energy from a point called the hypocenter.

The epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the hypocenter where an earthquake occurs.

The most powerful recorded earthquake was a magnitude 9.5 in Valdivia, Chile, in 1960.

The 2011 Tohoku earthquake in Japan, magnitude 9.0, caused massive destruction and claimed nearly 16,000 lives.

Seismographs are devices that sense seismic waves created by the movement of tectonic plates.

Earthquake magnitude is measured on the Richter scale, which relates to the energy released during the event.

The Earth's layers include the inner core, outer core, mantle, and crust, each with distinct properties.

Earthquakes generate two types of waves: body waves that move through the Earth's interior, and surface waves that cause the most damage.

P-waves are the first seismic waves recorded by a seismograph, causing the ground to move back and forth.

S-waves follow P-waves and cause the ground to move perpendicular to the direction of wave movement, often felt as tremors.

Surface waves, which are the most destructive, cause the displacement of rocks and can lead to structural damage.

The higher the earthquake magnitude, the closer the hypocenter is to the epicenter, leading to more severe damage.

Recent studies suggest that detecting high concentrations of radioactive gases like radon and thoron could predict earthquakes.

Smartphones can now detect seismic waves, aiding scientists in earthquake prediction and early warning systems.

The Scholar 3D simulation by Escobell allows users to visualize and understand earthquake dynamics.

Transcripts

what just happened

did we just experience an earthquake

but why does this happen and what

exactly is an earthquake

earthquakes are caused by the release of

energy that generate waves which travel

in all directions

causing the shaking of earth's surface

what exactly is this energy

what waves

what's shaking of earth's surface

this is so complicated

well

calm down let me explain everything in a

simple

and detailed manner

earth is not just one piece it is made

up of jigsaw puzzles of around 19 to 20

pieces

which are called as tectonic plates

these plates are placed on a hot

partially molten layer of earth's mantle

this is the reason why these pieces are

continuously moving

they are moving as you are watching this

video

these plates move around 1 to 10

centimeter each ear

but

don't worry not all these movements can

be felt by us

sometimes these movements are extremely

strong and can be felt like a lot of

vibrations under your feet

or

it can also destroy an entire city

that's called an earthquake

the earthquakes occurs in the

lithosphere region of the earth

an earthquake generates underneath the

earth and this releases the energy

across

the point at which the earthquake occurs

under the earth is called hypocenter

and the exact place above it at the

surface of the earth is called epicenter

the most horrifying earthquake recorded

till date was of magnitude 9.5 out of

10.

this happened in valdevia in southern

chile

in 1960.

another one that happened in japan in

tohuku region was of magnitude of 9.0

which happened on march 11 2011.

this earthquake caused massive and

enormous damage and destruction

and took nearly 16 000 people's life

with him

geologists use a device that can sense

the waves created by the movement of the

tectonic plates

these waves are known as seismic waves

and the device is called as seismograph

the earthquake events are scaled

according to magnitude of the shock and

are known as richter scale

this magnitude relates to energy

released during the earthquake

magnitude is expressed in absolute

number 0 to 10 where 0 is lowest where

people feel nothing and

10 being the highest that can create

severe destruction and loss of life over

a large

in order to know more about earthquake

let's jump to the simulator

we can see on the screen is the inner

core of the earth

and then we have outer core

mantle

and crust

the inner core as the name suggests is

the innermost layer or the central layer

of earth

it is like a solid spherical ball in

nature with a radius of

1250 kilometers

the temperature of earth's core

ranges between 4 500 to 5500 degrees

celsius facing a pressure of 300 to 360

giga pascals

next is outer core

it is of about 2200 kilometer thickness

and has a temperature similar to inner

core that is of 4500 to 5500 degrees

celsius

then we have the mantle layer which is

the semi-solid state of about 2900

kilometer thickness

this layer makes around 84 percent of

earth's total volume

and the last layer is the crust

which is like an apple skin when

compared to other layers

runs from zero to 70 kilometers in

thickness which is specifically

eight kilometers under sea to 32

kilometers

under continents and

this is only one percent of the earth's

total mass

now we can see that there's a grayish

white dot

let's click on that

we can see a small town then we see this

in the street view

and then

when we click on layers view we can see

earth's layer

the grayish in color is called as crust

and the one in reddish color is called

as mantle

on the left hand corner side we can see

we have a small box that says earthquake

magnitude on richter scale with three

buttons that shows the magnitude of the

earthquake if the intensity is between 0

to 2 it can be barely sensed when the

intensity is more than 2 and less than 4

we can feel minor vibrations and sense

it a little

from 4 to 4.9 it is considered as small

or a light earthquake

range from 5 to 5.9

are considered moderate earthquakes

and from the range 6 to 6.9

are considered as strong earthquakes

in some time we will see how much damage

these magnitudes can do

and

anything above 7 is considered as major

earthquakes which can destroy cities and

continents

these readings are recorded on a

seismograph

now let's set the 4 to 4.9 magnitude to

see how this earthquake happens

we can see the earthquake starts from a

point called a hypocenter inside the

earth

during an earthquake two types of waves

are formed

one is called body waves and the other

are called as surface waves

let's see what are called as body waves

body waves are the waves that moves

through the interior of the earth

and through the body of the earth and

hence the name

when these body waves move

these waves come across the surface

rocks and generate the surface waves

let's see in detail about these body

waves and surface waves

from this point that is hypocenter

waves are released

these waves are called primary waves or

p waves

now what are these p waves

p waves are seismic waves that shakes

the ground back and forth in the same

direction

and the opposite direction as the

direction of the wave is moving which is

similar to the movement of these sound

waves

this is how a p wave looks like

these p waves are the first to be

recorded on a seismograph

now after a fraction of second when

these p waves hit the rocks closer to

the surface

gives rise to new set of waves the s

waves or

called as secondary waves

these waves are towards the earth crust

and these are tremors and vibrations

that we feel

s waves are the wave motion in a solid

medium where the medium moves

perpendicular to the direction of the

weave

after the p wave these s waves are

recorded on a seismograph

now these s waves hits the surface and

starts the earthquake

the point at which the earthquake

originates on the surface

is called an epicenter

after the p and s waves comes the

surface waves

which are the most destructive waves as

they cause the movement or the

displacement of the rocks which leads to

falling of structures and causing harm

to life

let's once again see the formation of p

and s waves

we can see that an earthquake of this

magnitude that is between 4 to 4.9

causes the damage to nearby small houses

but the buildings are okay

let's see what happens when the

magnitude is between 5 to 5.9

let's reset and then hit the button

whoa

that's quite some damage

the small houses are shattered and the

buildings also have cracks

we can also see that the road is also

cracked now

one more thing to notice is that the

higher the magnitude the closer the

hypocenter is to the epicenter

notice this when we move to 6 to 6.9

magnitude

the damage is enormous

buildings are almost broken roads are

cracked and small houses are collapsed

earthquakes can really be extremely

damaging natural calamity if this is the

case when magnitude is limited to 7

imagine how 9 and 9.5 might even look

since these are quite commonly occurring

magnitudes we have studied them in this

simulation

it is extremely difficult to predict an

earthquake based on a seismograph which

is also known as seismometer but

even our smartphones can now detect

these seismic waves and scientists can

use this data to predict earthquake and

warn people

nasa can use this information in the

quake sim software which can use this

data to generate more efficient

information

recent studies showed that before an

earthquake nearby regions record very

high concentrations of radioactive pair

radon and thoron

this happens because right before the

earthquake these gases are released on

the surface from small cracks and if we

can detect these gases

we can predict a quake at least seven

days in advance

well here are some tips that can save

you in case of an earthquake

till then keep yourself safe and see you

in the next session

well i hope you have enjoyed this

session

this session is based on an interactive

3d simulation called scholar developed

by escobel

[Music]

visit

www.escovell.in to request the download

of the software application to try this

out yourselves

if you have enjoyed this video hit the

like button

if you have any queries comment down and

yes

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thank you