Assignment: Evaluating Earthquakes

Go to the USGS daily earthquake list and note the day and time you looked up the information. In the upper, right hand corner of the page, you will see an icon that looks like a wheel or gear. Click on it and select 7-days, 2.5+ Worldwide. Answer the following questions in complete sentences and paragraphs based on 7 days, worldwide (use zoom feature to zoom in or out). Your responses should demonstrate critical thinking. Provide justification for your analysis:

• How many earthquakes are listed on this map?

• How many earthquakes are over 6.0 over the week? How many between 4.5 and 6.0 over the week? Where was the largest?

• What country outside the U.S. or its territories had the most earthquakes during this time? Provide details.

• Where was the most recent earthquake over 4.5? What magnitude was it? How deep was it? Is this shallow, intermediate, or deep? Explain the type of plate boundary it was near. Why are earthquakes common to this area?

• Where was the deepest earthquake during the week? On what type of boundary was this?

• Where was the most recent earthquake closest to you? Include the name of the city and state you reside in (or country if outside of the United States). Was it associated with a boundary?

• Was there any relationship between the plate boundary where the largest, most numerous and deepest earthquakes occurred? Based on your knowledge of earthquakes, is this what you would have expected from that type of boundary(ies)? Be sure to explain your answer fully.

• Using a map of the plate boundary types, which type of boundary has the most earthquakes on this list?

• Put the settings on 7 days, 4.5+ worldwide. Find a region where there is a high concentration of earthquakes. What country(ies) are nearby? What type of boundary are the quakes on?

Your paper should meet the following requirements:

• 3-4 pages in length (does not include title and reference page)
• 1-2 outside sources formatted by APA version 6th.