The Epicenter of a Southwestern Earthquake
Kéyah Math Project development team: Nancy Zumoff, Christopher Schaufele, Steven Semken, Tracy Perkins, Lynn Onken, Philippe Laval, David Gonzales, and Andrew Becenti (deceased).
Kéyah Math Project directed by Steven Semken, Arizona State University; and Christopher Schaufele and Nancy Zumoff, Professors of Mathematics, Emeritus.
Archived at Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration.
Kéyah Math Project directed by Steven Semken, Arizona State University; and Christopher Schaufele and Nancy Zumoff, Professors of Mathematics, Emeritus.
Archived at Arizona State University School of Earth and Space Exploration.
This activity was selected for the On the Cutting Edge Reviewed Teaching Collection
This activity has received positive reviews in a peer review process involving five review categories. The five categories included in the process are
- Scientific Accuracy
- Alignment of Learning Goals, Activities, and Assessments
- Pedagogic Effectiveness
- Robustness (usability and dependability of all components)
- Completeness of the ActivitySheet web page
For more information about the peer review process itself, please see http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/review.html.
This page first made public: Jun 30, 2008
Summary
This activity guides students to use the measured difference in P and S wave velocities to locate the epicenter of a minor earthquake in the Southwestern United States.
Click here to view the full activity on the Kéyah Math Project website.
Click here to view the full activity on the Kéyah Math Project website.
Learning Goals
Objectives
Mathematical Skills
- Determine the speed of P and S waves from an earthquake.
- Use equations to locate the epicenter of an earthquake in the Southwest as the intersection of three circles.
Mathematical Skills
- Basic algebra.
- Equation of a line.
- Radius of a circle.
Context for Use
This activity consists of a set of quantitative problem-solving exercises that can be used as an in-class activity or an assignment in any introductory course with a unit on earthquake seismology, such as:
- Physical geology or physical geography
- Environmental geology, natural hazards, natural disasters
- Earth system science or Earth and space science
- Southwest regional geology
Description and Teaching Materials
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Teaching Notes and Tips
An Instructor's Guide to all Kéyah Math activities is available online from the Instructor Resources page on the Kéyah Math website.
Assessment
Students record their work and answers in a word-processor document or a notebook, which can be submitted to the instructor for assessment. Solutions to these problems are available online from the Instructor Resources page on the Kéyah Math website.
References and Resources
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