M2L2: Gizmo Lab: Earthquake - Recording Stations - Honors
Name: Date:
Vocabulary: body wave, earthquake, epicenter, fault, focus, P-wave, S-wave, seismic wave,seismogram,
seismograph
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
Have you ever experienced an earthquake? yes
If so, what did it feel like?
Everything shaking and kind of bouncing
Earthquakes are
usually caused by
the sudden
movement of rocks
along a fault, or
fracture, in Earth’s
crust. The most
famous fault in the
U.S. is the San Andreas Fault in California.
What major cities are located near the San Andreas
Fault?
Los Angeles, San Francisco, fault
Gizmo Warm-up
The Earthquakes 1 – Recording Station Gizmo™ simulates the seismic
waves released by an earthquake. To begin, look at thekey on the bottom
left side of the Gizmo.
The epicenter of the earthquake is the point on Earth’s surfaceclosest to
the focus, or origin, of the earthquake.
What symbol represents the epicenter? It looks like a
compass
What symbol represents the recording A little triangle
station?
Click Play ( ) and observe the seismic waves leaving the epicenter of the earthquake.
What types of seismic waves are released? P waves
Look at the Recording station detector on the upper left side of the Gizmo. What happenswhen the
seismic waves hit the recording station?
Squiggly lines appear
, M2L2: Gizmo Lab: Earthquake - Recording Stations - Honors
Name: Date:
Vocabulary: body wave, earthquake, epicenter, fault, focus, P-wave, S-wave, seismic wave,seismogram,
seismograph
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo.)
Have you ever experienced an earthquake? yes
If so, what did it feel like?
Everything shaking and kind of bouncing
Earthquakes are
usually caused by
the sudden
movement of rocks
along a fault, or
fracture, in Earth’s
crust. The most
famous fault in the
U.S. is the San Andreas Fault in California.
What major cities are located near the San Andreas
Fault?
Los Angeles, San Francisco, fault
Gizmo Warm-up
The Earthquakes 1 – Recording Station Gizmo™ simulates the seismic
waves released by an earthquake. To begin, look at thekey on the bottom
left side of the Gizmo.
The epicenter of the earthquake is the point on Earth’s surfaceclosest to
the focus, or origin, of the earthquake.
What symbol represents the epicenter? It looks like a
compass
What symbol represents the recording A little triangle
station?
Click Play ( ) and observe the seismic waves leaving the epicenter of the earthquake.
What types of seismic waves are released? P waves
Look at the Recording station detector on the upper left side of the Gizmo. What happenswhen the
seismic waves hit the recording station?
Squiggly lines appear
, M2L2: Gizmo Lab: Earthquake - Recording Stations - Honors
