Problems

Web Page Questions:

Answer the following questions using the web pages listed in the chapter.

1. How long has the Pu'u 'O'o eruption of Kilauea been going on?_________________________________
2. Which region of the world has the largest number of active volcanoes?____________________________

2. Earthquake Information U.S.G.S. Geologic Division - http://quake.wr.usgs.gov

When was the most recent earthquake for the following regions?

• Pacific Northwest____________________________________________________________
• Central United States_________________________________________________________
• New York and New England____________________________________________________

Problems:

1. The table on the following page lists all earthquakes measuring at least 5.0 on the Richter Scale which have occurred between 1994 and 1996. The next page contains a world map with the lithospheric plate boundaries superimposed as dashed lines. In conjunction with the table and the map, complete the following:

1. Classify all the earthquakes by the time period in which they happened. Use the three time periods below, and assign to each earthquake an appropriate map symbol according to the following:
<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=jpg::Year Symbols::/sites/dl/free/0072367229/9463/image03_01.jpg','popWin', 'width=566,height=60,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif">Year Symbols (1.0K)</a>Year Symbols
2. At each location on the map where an earthquake was recorded, place the appropriate symbol according to the time period in which the earthquake occurred.
3. For each of the three time periods, what area or areas of the world were the most active earthquake zones, and what plate boundaries correspond to those zones?
<a onClick="window.open('/olcweb/cgi/pluginpop.cgi?it=jpg::Time Periods::/sites/dl/free/0072367229/9463/image03_02.jpg','popWin', 'width=732,height=368,resizable,scrollbars');" href="#"><img valign="absmiddle" height="16" width="16" border="0" src="/olcweb/styles/shared/linkicons/image.gif">Time Periods (11.0K)</a>Time Periods

Major Earthquakes since January 1, 1994

Source: 1997 World Almanac and Book of Facts

2. The three diagrams below contain various landforms that are identified by the letters A through K.
In the spaces below, write the name of the landform next to the identifying letter.

Critical Thinking Questions

1. Natural geologic processes have been around since the formation of the planet. Now many of these same processes are considered natural hazards. Discuss the transformation of a process into a hazard.
2. Using Fig. 3.3, the lithospheric plate map as a guide, explain the existence of volcanoes and volcanic features on the islands of the West Indies and in Central America.
3. If a dam is built across the river shown in Fig. 3.34 what scenario can you see for the size and shape of the spit and offshore sandbars 25 years from now?
4. With regard to fluctuating sea level over the last 10,000 years, discuss the present shoreline configuration of the Pacific coast of the United States. Is sea level higher or lower than it was when the coastal landform features were created? What would happen if sea level would rise 100 feet? What would happen if sea level was lowered by 100 feet?
5. Study the photographs of earthquake damage in this chapter of the textbook and those found in photo archives of major earthquakes that occurred over the last 10 years. While governments worldwide have enacted similar legislation to make new structures earthquake-proof and older ones more earthquake-resistant, ultimately the success of these regulations rest with people and not necessarily the intensity of the earthquake. Why do some smaller (less intense) earthquakes in some areas cause more damage to existing structures than larger (more intense) earthquakes in other areas? Compare damage from major earthquakes in Turkey, Taiwan, India and the United States. While severe damage in unavoidable with the best of building codes, what did the analysis of the success or failure of these designs discover?