Earthquake Epicenters

(Science 10 – Earth and Space)

Week 2

Quarter 1 Content Standard: Describe and relate the distribution of active volcanoes,
earthquake epicenters, and major mountain belts to Plate Tectonic Theory. (S10ES –
Ia-j-36.1)

MELCs
1. Explain and locate the earthquake epicenter using the triangulation method. 2. Plot
and Identify the location of active volcanoes, earthquake epicenters, and major
mountain belts on a world map.

Review

1. The Earth’s lithosphere is composed of the following layers except:

a. Crust
b. Upper mantle
c. Inner mantle

2. How will you describe the speed of the body waves P-wave and S-wave? a. The S-wave is
faster than the P-wave and is sensed first by the seismograph. b. The P-wave and S-wave has
the same velocity and arrives at the seismic station at the same time.
c. The S-wave is slower than the P-wave and arrives at the seismic station after the P-wave is
detected.

3. Which of the following statement is incorrect?

a. The movement of Earth’s lithosphere is termed tectonics.
b. The Earth’s lithosphere is divided in segments called plates.
c. The crust which carries continents and oceans is the thickest layer of the Earth.

4. Which of the following body wave generate vibrations that moves perpendicular to the
direction of its movement?
a. Primary waves
b. Secondary waves
c. Surface waves

5. It is the equipment used to measure the intensity, duration and depth of an earthquake.
a. Seismogram
b. Seismograph
c. Seismology
Learning Competency #1: Explain and locate the earthquake epicenter using the triangulation
method.
-Earthquakes are natural geological phenomena caused by sudden and rapid movement of
large volume of rock.
-The violent shaking and destruction caused by the earthquake are the result of the rupture and
slippage along fractures of the Earth’s crust called faults.
-Earthquake epicenter is the location on the Earth’s surface located directly above the exact
origin of the earthquake called the focus.

How is earthquake epicenter identified?

-Scientists use triangulation to find the epicenter of an earthquake. When seismic data is
collected from at least three different locations, it can be used to determine the epicenter.
-Every earthquake is recorded on numerous seismographs located in different directions.
(Seismic stations across the country). Each seismograph records the times when the first (P
waves) and second (S waves) seismic waves arrive.
-From that information, scientists can determine how fast the waves are traveling. Knowing this
helps them calculate the distance from the epicenter to each seismograph. -To determine the
direction each wave traveled, scientists draw circles around the seismograph locations. The
radius of each circle equals the known distance to the epicenter. Where these three circles
intersect is the epicenter.

Let’s study this example:

1. Copy this table:

Distance from the

Seismic Station S-P interval

time (s) Osorno
epicenter (km)

Talca

Santiago
2. Read the following S-P interval graphs and complete the table above.

What is
 Talca’s S-P
interval?

a. 23 s
b. 15 s
c. 3 s

What is
Santiago’s
S-P interval?

a. 42 s
b. 35 s
c. 27 s

What is
Osorno’s S
P interval?

a. 69 s
b. 59 s
c. 52 s

3. Use the S-P interval time and S-P graph to determine the distance from the epicenter for each
location.
Triangulation Method

• What is the distance

from Talca’s station to
the epicenter?

a. 156 km
b. 140 km
c. 119 km
 Triangulation Method

• What is the distance

from Santiago’s
station to the
epicenter?

a. 479 km
b. 340 km
c. 421 km

Triangulation Method

• What is the distance

from Osorno’s station
to the epicenter?

a. 580 km
b. 603 km
c. 554 km

Using the distance scale found on the map, circles were drawn using the epicenter distances for
each location. The epicenter is located at the intersection of the three circles.

Activity

Supposed we identified on the seismogram that the wave is travelling 8 seconds per 100 km,
let’s identify the distance of this following hypothetical seismic stations from the earthquake
epicenter using the following formula:
d = !"
where: d = distance Td = time difference (S-P
interval)
#$%& X 100 km

Complete the table below and compute for the distance of each stations from the epicenter.

Complete the table below:

Recording Station S-wave (seconds) the station (km)

Time difference in the Distance of epicenter from
arrival time of P-wave and

Batangas 40.0 ?

Puerto Princesa 46.4 s ?

Davao 32.8 s ?

Study the plotted map below:

Evaluate:
1. Which station is closest to the epicenter?
2. Which station will experience stronger shaking?
3. Which station will experience the least shaking?
4. Which city is the epicenter located?
Checkpoint #1:
1. Given the S-P graph, which city is closest to the epicenter of the earthquake?
a. Talca
b. Santiago
c. Osorno

2. Which city will experience the least impact of the earthquake?

a. Talca
b. Santiago
c. Osorno

3. These are natural geological phenomena caused by sudden and rapid movement of large
volume of rock.
a. Epicenter
b. Focus
c. Earthquake

4. Which method is used by the scientists to find the epicenter of an earthquake?

a. Seismograph
b. Triangulation
c. Map

5. In using the triangulation method, there should at least how many seismic data
collected? a. Two
b. Three
c. One

Learning Competency #2: 2. Plot and identify the location of active volcanoes, earthquake
epicenters, and major mountain belts on a world map.
According to the theory of plate tectonics, the lithosphere consists of several large interlocking
sections that move in different directions and velocities.
Over millions of years, these plates have carved and created the shapes of our continents and
oceans, crafting the great mountain ranges and oceanic ridges.

Task: Draw the world map and put colors accordingly. Then answer the following questions.

World Map

Blue – earthquake epicenters

Map 1. The dark areas are the
earthquake epicenters.
1.1. How are the
earthquakes distributed on
the map?
1.2. Where are they found?
1.3. Name some countries
where earthquake may not
happen. Why is it so?

Red – Active volcanoes

Map 2. The dark dots are active
volcanoes.

2.1. How are

volcanoes
distributed?
2.2. Where are they
situated?
2.3. Based on the
map
which countries may
experience volcanic
eruptions? Why is that so?
Green – Mountain Ranges
 distribution of mountain
ranges with the distribution
of earthquake epicenters
and volcanoes?

Map 3. The coarse and darker

areas are the mountain ranges.

3. How will you relate the

Philippines and the Pacific Ring of Fire

Plate movements may result in earthquakes. Earthquakes may happen anytime, either on land
or underwater. Earthquakes on land can be caused either by tectonic plates movement or
volcanic eruptions. Earthquakes under the sea can cause a tsunami.

Our country, the Philippines, is situated in a place where Plate Tectonics is very evident the Ring
of Fire. It is a long chain of volcanoes and other tectonically active structures that surround the
Pacific Ocean. The Ring of Fire is one of the most geologically active areas on Earth and a site for
frequent earthquakes and powerful volcanic eruptions.

Philippines and the Pacific Ring of Fire

Evaluation:
1. Which regions in The Philippines
are high-risk in terms of
earthquake?
2. Why do you think those areas
are high risk for earthquakes?
3. What are some basic measures
you must keep in mind when
there is an earthquake?

Remember that plates are in constant motion. Large-scale geological activities occur on or near
plate boundaries. As they interact along their margins, important geologic processes take
places, such as the formation of major mountain ranges, active volcanoes, and earthquake
epicenters. It means to say that, where there are earthquakes, crusts can either meet or move
apart, forming mountains and volcanoes.
Checkpoint #2:
1. Which Ocean has the ring of volcanoes around it?
A. Artic
B. Atlantic
C. Indian
D. Pacific

2. All of these have volcano or earthquake activity EXCEPT _____.

A. Australia
B. Japan
C. Mexico
D. Philippines

3. How do you describe the location of earthquake epicenters, active volcanoes, and moving
plates in the Pacific Ring of Fire?
A. They are all over the place.
B. They are concentrated in one area.
C. They are situated in the same location.
D. They are strategically plotted in clusters.

4. Why is it important to be aware of places prone to earthquakes?

A. to identify what crop must be stored
B. to identify what relief goods to be prepared
C. to locate where to the next quake will occur
D. to perform necessary precautions

5. What can be the WORST and IRREVERSIBLE effect of negligence or failure to prepare for
natural geologic disasters?
A. damage to properties
B. death
C. blackout
D. poverty

Summary:

• Earthquakes are natural geological phenomena caused by sudden and rapid movement
of large volume of rock.
• The violent shaking and destruction caused by the earthquake are the result of the
rupture and slippage along fractures of the Earth’s crust called faults.
• Earthquake epicenter is the location on the Earth’s surface located directly above the
 exact origin of the earthquake called the focus.
• Scientists use triangulation to find the epicenter of an earthquake. When seismic data is
collected from at least three different locations, it can be used to determine the
epicenter by where it intersects.
• Over millions of years, these plates have carved and created the shapes of our continents
and oceans, crafting the great mountain ranges and oceanic ridges. • Our country, the
Philippines, is situated in a place where Plate Tectonics is very evident the Ring of Fire- It is
a long chain of volcanoes and other tectonically active structures that surround the Pacific
Ocean.
• Large-scale geological activities occur on or near plate boundaries.
NOTE! This section contains the answer key for the modular activities. It is encouraged to
complete the task first without looking at the answer key, to evaluate your learning.
Answer Key

Review Checkpoint #1 Checkpoint #2

1. C 1. A 1. D

2. C 2. C 2. A

3. C 3. C 3. C

4. B 4. B 4. D

5. B 5. B 5. B