Ladies and Gentlemen:

Mr. J. Howard had asked the following persons to do a study on Earthquakes:

Laura.

Mr. Howard asked the following questions to be answered by Laura

Where the most recent earthquakes are occurring and if they are more likely to occur in certain locations.

Whether or not there is any way to determine what parts of the world are most prone to them.

If there is a relationship between earthquakes and volcanoes.

What is causing the earthquakes.

Those questions have received the following answers.

The most recent earthquakes are occurring in Japan, Philippines, the West Coast of South and North America, New Zealand, Mexico, the South Coast of France, Southern Australia (only one), South-West Alaska and the furthest reaches of Eastern Russia.

There is a way to determine what parts of the world are most prone to earthquakes. Ignoring the solitary earthquake in Australia, we can see on this map that other earthquakes are occurring on plate borders. This is how we determine where earthquake-prone areas are.

There is a definite relation between earthquakes and volcanoes. Ocean plates slide under Ocean or Continental plates, causing an earthquake. The plate that has been pushed under another disintegrates, and most of the newly formed lava rocks go down, but some goes up to the surface, causing volcanic eruptions and/or a newly formed volcano.

The final question ‘What is causing earthquakes?’ is a tricky question to answer. While we are still learning about the Earth’s structure, scientists have constructed models to stimulate movement of the lava flows deep inside the earth, and have concluded that what is causing earthquakes is plates crashing together. When the tension of long periods of time is released, it sends shock waves rippling through the earth. The epicentre is often the point with the worst damage done.

There are your questions and their answers, Mr. Howard.

Yours Sincerely,

Laura