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Posted on October 24, 2007 by Jason Petrina | Posted under News and Society
Earthquakes Impact
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Earthquakes, of course, vary in intensity. Although you may never hear about a large majority of them; most earthquakes are simply nothing more than a minor tremor of the earth's surface. Larger earthquakes actually begin as slight tremors that then proceed to grow in intensity; forming larger, more violent shocks. Toward the end of an earthquake, especially a rather large earthquake, the vibrations will begin to gradually subside in vibrations that diminish in force. These are known as aftershocks. If you have followed the news coverage of some of the major earthquakes that have hit highly populated areas in the recent past, you may know that the center of much of the destruction is referred to as the epicenter. This is because this particular area is located on the surface of the earth directly above the point of origin of the earthquake; which is the focus. Earthquakes of any size actually begin when tensional stresses begin to build up along the margins of areas of the earth's surface known as lithospheric plates. When stress is released along a fracture in the earth's crust, known as a fault, the result is movement of blocks of rock that oppose one another. As these blocks of rocks move, vibrations occur that then pass through the earth. The effect is rather similar to dropping a rock in a pool of water. The movement generated by the impact of the rock in the water will ripple outward in gradually diminishing force. As vibrations occur as a result of the moving rocks, the shock is felt in wave form; rippling outward from the center of the impact. A number of factors can cause stress to be released along fault lines, including rockfalls, volcanic eruptions, explosions and landslides. As previously mentioned, the majority of the impact of an earthquake will be felt at the center of the occurrence; the epicenter. Although minor earthquakes are quite common; generally the most damage experienced by earthquakes will occur in metropolitan areas that are densely populated. The damage caused by the disruption of the earth's surface can be damaging enough on building structures; particularly if they are not built to withstand the effects of a hurricane. Other factors that are a result of the hurricane can increase the level of damage as well; however. In some cases, the tremors in the earth's surface can cause water and gas lines to break and erupt; which will produce fires. The fires can be difficult to control and put out when shocks and aftershocks make it difficult for fire and rescue teams to navigate the still trembling ground surface. Other potential problems associated with earthquakes include mudslides and even tsunamis. A tsunami results when an earthquake occurs on the ocean floor. Although the earthquake may occur quite a distance from an inland populated area; the waves that ripple outward may be so strong they hold the potential serious devastation miles away. Earthquakes are recorded on a scale system known as the Richter scale. Earthquakes measuring over 8.0 on the system are considered to be quite serious. Generally, the earth experiences a great earthquake about once a year, with less mild earthquakes occurring a dozen or so times per year. Even milder earthquakes, in the 5.0 range, may occur as much as one thousand times per year. About The Author: Jason Petrina is the Editor and Publisher of Article Click. For more FREE articles for your ezine and websites visit - www.articleclick.com |
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