Earthquakes

Earthquakes

At first, the earth crust is made of rock layers. Sometimes, this layers breaks down forming faults, (that represents a weakness of the rock). An earthquake is a disaster that occurs naturally and unpredictably.

Specifically, an earthquake is an abrupt movement/vibration of the earth, when it releases the stress that has been accumulated, and caused by the continuous movementof the tectonic plates. As it is in form of seismic waves, the ground shakes.

The tectonic plates are huge blocks of solid rock that form the lithosphere of the Earth and which are floating on the molten igneous rock that forms the Earth center (asthenosphere).

We have to know also that, the seismic movements begin in the focus (inside the Earth) and the epicenter is just the point on thesurface that is directly above the focus, so is the place where the earthquakes are more noticeable.

The seismograph records ground movements caused by earthquakes or other phenomena. So usually it is used when an earthquake takes place, to know exactly the duration, the place and the intensity of it. As the seismic waves travel long distances, the seismograph can be located far from theepicenter.
But although it is very useful, it cannot predict when an earthquake is going to occur, so they are continually in functioning, recording all ground movements.

Certainly, the system of functioning of a seismograph is very simple. However, we can found nowadays electronic seismograph of a lot of precision.

Effects


At first, earthquakes have an effect on society, both economicallyand mental.
Because an earthquake can takes place in a very short period of time, but the aftershocks can continue after it for weeks, and the damages produced (destruction of buildings, etc) can still lasting for years.

But earthquakes have many secondary effects, which are worst, than the one that I’ve said, such as:

* The destruction of buildings, that collapse and itsupposed a high cost for the population to pay.

* The earthquakes also destroy roads, bridges and some others land routes, making a huge impact in economy because it prevents the exchange of products, and the services to help to this zone for being affected.

* They also can cause soil decay, like liquefaction and landslides caused by the vibration and the shakings.

* The seismicmovements can affect the springs, making them disappear or changing the chemical composition of their water, and changing their temperature, or dissecting them too.

* And tsunamis (tidal waves) which are huge waves of water that cause a lot of damages, which are caused by seismic movements of high intensity that takes place in an epicenter in deep sea.

* And obviously, they can cause thedeath of many people.

Possible Solutions

Science, with time, has discovered many possible solutions to minimize the earthquakes effects, but not already a solution for avoid them to take place.

-At first, we know that the seismologist have instruments such as the seismograph that record the seismic movements and helps they to study patterns and know all of what is taking placeunderground at the moment.

- Avoiding floods that can cause the tsunamis.

-Now prediction of earthquakes, based on the time interval between body and surface waves, is still discovering, but I think that if in a future it develops, it could be very helpful, it is promising.

-Building structures of the areas likely to have an earthquake, have been improving to support the seismic movements, alongyears. When the ground shakes, try to stay at rest, and this inertia can cause the breaks of it structure because it can concentrate stresses on the weak walls or joints in the structure making a collapse. Taller buildings shake longer than the shorter ones, which are less damage during the earthquake. But engineers have found a form of making the tall buildings less susceptible to the damages,...