Earthquakes 101. Haiti Earthquake: How Kids Can Help. Earthquakes 101. Earthquake Thousands of earthquakes happen across the US each year. The good thing is, almost all of them are too small to feel. Most earthquakes in North America happen west of the Rocky Mountains, but there are still 39 states that are at serious risk for quakes. Plate Tectonics Our planet is divided into a three main layers: a solid core, a liquid magma mantle and a crust , which floats on top.
Shifting Plates Types of Plate Boundaries Earthquakes mostly occur at the boundary where one plates meets another. Earthquake! In some places, the plates become locked together. Ride the Waves Quake Waves An earthquake emits its power as three waves of energy. Recording Zigzags Home-Made Seismograph A seismograph is a machine that records the ground vibrations during a quake. Earthquakes: The Richter Scale The Richter Scale Are They Predictable? So far, scientists have yet to develop a reliable way of predicting earthquakes. What To Do In An Earthquake Earthquake Preparedness Kit Related Stories. Japan Quake Map.
How earthquakes happen. Why So Many Earthquakes? Why So Many Earthquakes? First the ground shook in Haiti, then Chile, Turkey and now Japan. The earthquakes keep coming hard and fast, causing people to wonder if the world is coming to an end ... It's not. While it may seem as if there are more earthquakes occurring, there really aren't. The problem is what's happening above ground, not underground. Plus, around-the-clock and widespread news coverage on TV and through the Internet, as well as and better seismic monitoring make it seem as if earthquakes are happening constantly these days. Quake Stake A 7.0 magnitude quake last year killed more than 230,000 people in Haiti. Lives Lost As for the number of lives that have been lost due to recent earthquakes, that is partly due to poor construction practices in some countries that result in buildings that aren't earthquake-proof and can't stand the impact of an earthquake.
The second part of the problem is something referred to as a megacity - a city that is crammed with way too many people. Satellite Photos - Japan Before and After Tsunami.