Emergency Backpack and Earthquake Preparedness Actions part of SERC:External Collection:IRIS Collection
Learners explore how an emergency backpack and earthquake preparedness actions are their best insurance for survival during worst-case scenarios. In the 5- and 20-minute activities, learners discover situations in ...

Designing Earthquake-resistant Structures—Engineering for Safety part of SERC:External Collection:IRIS Collection
This activity develops an understanding of why buildings collapse and what can be done to make them more resilient to earthquake ground shaking. Learners investigate the impact of seismic waves on buildings to ...

Earthquake Machine (Activity 1 of 2) part of SERC:External Collection:IRIS Collection
The Earthquake Machine is a simple model that helps learners visualize the inputs and outputs of an active fault system that leads to earthquakes. The Earthquake Machine introduces the basics physics of an ...

Introduction to Faults and Plate Tectonics part of SERC:External Collection:IRIS Collection
This interactive activity provides three options to demonstrate the geometry of faults (normal, reverse, and strike-slip) and fault displacements with 3-D models. Fault models aid in the visualization and ...

Mapping Worldwide Earthquake Epicenters part of SERC:External Collection:IRIS Collection
Computer-based visualizations and/or current earthquake reports are used to determine worldwide patterns of earthquake magnitude, depth, and location. These activities use the IRIS Earthquake Browser (IEB; ...

Building Shaking —Variations of the BOSS Model part of SERC:External Collection:IRIS Collection
The rolling motion of a seismic wave may move at the same frequency of a building. The structure will then sway back and forth during the seismic vibration. A building's architectural design, height (how many ...

Earthquake Machine (Activity 2 of 2) part of SERC:External Collection:IRIS Collection
The Earthquake Machine is a simple model that demonstrates earthquake mechanics. The parts of the Earthquake Machine represent the elements of an active fault. The activity provides opportunities to understand the ...

Geologic Hazards Related to Earthquakes part of SERC:External Collection:IRIS Collection
Strong ground shaking from seismic waves can trigger geologic hazards that critically impact communities and public safety. Three learning options include a 5-minute demonstration that reveals how liquefaction can ...

Kinesthetic Modeling & Interpreting GPS Data Maps part of SERC:External Collection:IRIS Collection
In this activity, learners explore ground deformation at and near plate boundaries using hand and body motions, data from GPS and maps. In the 5-minute activity, learners explore the concept of vectors by ...

Magnitude and Intensity part of SERC:External Collection:IRIS Collection
Magnitude and intensity are different, yet related concepts. The size of an earthquake, or magnitude, is a single value, while seismic intensity, a measure of the strength of shaking at a specific location, varies ...