Ngo 1

Tuan Ngo
Arlene Wallace
Natural disaster
12/12/2014
Course Reflection
Taking on the earthquake topic was very interesting. I learned that earthquakes occur
almost every day all over the world. Most of the time earthquakes are not strong enough to be
felt by people, but the shaking caused by an earthquake can be recorded by a seismometer. These
machines are located all over the world to ensure detection of earthquakes of all strengths. Only
occasionally will a larger magnitude earthquake strike and cause damage to the region. There are
many faults around the world and depending on where these faults are plays a major factor in
determining where an earthquake will occur.
An earthquake is the shaking of Earths surface caused by rapid movement of the earths
rocky outer layer. Faults occur at these places where rocks on either side of the crack have
moved. Oceans are very common places for major tectonic plates to shift. When two plates
separate, new oceanic crust is made near the fault as magma rises and eventually sets on the sea
floor. If the plates on either side of the fault continue to spread then the ocean slowly becomes
larger in width. This is called seafloor spreading. Mid-ocean ridges are characterized by a crack
like valley at the fault. This crack like valley is caused by the tension pulling the plates apart,
causing normal faulting to occur a number of times in the divergent boundary.

Ngo 2
I have also learned there are many different types of faults that cause earthquakes. The
most common type of fault is a normal or dip-slip fault. These occur when two blocks of earth
are thrust toward each other, causing one to ride up over the other. A reverse fault is the opposite
of a normal fault. A very powerful type of fault is the strike-slip fault that occurs when two plates
slide past one another. The San Andreas Fault in California is a very good example of this type of
fault. A great deal of damage is done when any type of fault shakes the soil under structures in
low-lying, waterlogged areas, causing liquefaction. Liquefaction occurs when an earthquake
shakes the wet, sandy soil near a body of water. The soil is forced to sink while the water is
pushed up causing the surface to become very weak and dangerous.
The seafloor sees the most intense tectonic activity in the world. The frequency of
earthquakes is very high at the sites of mid-ocean ridges. An example of a mid-ocean ridge is the
Mid-Atlantic ridge where the seafloor is spreading at a rate of about 3 cm per year. The
frequency of earthquakes at a mid-ocean ridge will depend on how much tension is happening at
that point. The more tension means the more seafloor spreading, resulting in a higher frequency
of earthquakes at a particular mid-ocean ridge.
Working on a project like this as a group is really fun and you learn so many new things.
It also makes learning a lot easier because everyone has different perspectives so the ideas are
always fresh. However the group set the standards and goals that you have to meet so you have
to always be on top of your games and always push for more so you dont let your group down,
you learn self-discipline and responsibility for the work criteria that the group has set. I also
learned that some of my work that I thought it was excellent but it turned out that it could be
even more excellent as I said we all have different perspectives so there are always rooms for
improvement.

Ngo 3
Hazards are not to be taken lightly. We need to be prepared and ready at all time because
we dont know when its going to strike. It poses threat to human life, health, property, or
environment. There are so many disastrous hazards that havent taken place over the years and
even in the places that we think it wouldnt have happened and when it strike they wasnt
prepared and it caused millions and millions worth of damage as well as unfortunate deaths and
injuries so we always need to be prepared and ready no matter where we are because we dont
know when mother nature is going to strike.