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Teacher’s notes included in the Notes Page.Flash activity. These activities are not editable.

Icons key: For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation.

Accompanying worksheet. Printable activity. Useful web links.

Earthquakes: Part 1 – Earthquake basics Plate Tectonics

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Earthquake basicsEarthquake basics

Be able to describe where earthquakes occur.

By the end of this section, you will:

Understand the terms focus and epicentre.

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Where do earthquakes occur?

Pacific Plate

North American

Plate

African Plate

Indo-Australian

Plate

Eurasian Plate

South American

PlateNazca Plate

Do the locations of earthquakes form a pattern?

Earthquakes are vibrations of the earth’s crust caused by movement at plate boundaries and major fault lines. The red areas on the map are where earthquakes are most common.

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Earthquakes can occur at all four major plate boundaries but the most severe earthquakes usually occur at conservative

and destructive plate boundaries.

Conservative boundary

Destructive boundary

What are earthquakes?

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Destructive plate boundary

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Conservative plate boundary

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Epicentre and focus