Destructive natural phenomena Essay Example for Free

Destructive lifelike phenomena EssayAmong the most destructive raw(a) phenomena cause by nature and known to valet ar temblors. Earthquakes be not only considered as oneness of the most destructive, that among the most frightening, traumatic and violent as well. In addition, earthquakes are beyond mans control. They are also unpredictable. This paper aims to answer the following questions How do earthquakes occur? What causes earthquakes? Based on its scientific definition, an earthquake is the result of a sudden question of the earths crust due to the stress released from geological faults or by volcanic activity. Sometimes it is also called as seism or temblor (Earthquakes). We a good deal think that an earthquake is merely the shaking of the ground based on what we experience and what we see in the news. What we are not really aware of is that an earthquake take chancess everyday. It is reported by the United States Geological sentiment that over 3 million earthqu akes occur yearly which means every 11 seconds, an earthquake takes place. Thats around 8,000 earthquakes a day. Most of the time, the majority of these quakes are and cannot be felt.What alert us are the stronger earthquakes that run a risk in highly populated areas. In order to determine an earthquakes strength, scientists measure earthquake strength by using a seismograph. The information gathered by the graph is then calculated. The building block of measuring an earthquakes strength or intensity is the Richter scale which is in turn used to rate the energy released by the quake which is known as the magnitude. When an earthquake occurs, it continuously produces waves referred as unstable wave. in that location are several types of seismic waves but the waves responsible inthe first few strikes of movement during an earthquake are called body waves. These waves often live on at the earths inner embark on (Harris, 2001). With the help of the P waves and the S waves, which a re the types of body waves, scientists are able to determine where an earthquake took place. P waves also known as primary waves can travel through different mediums. It can travel through solids, liquids and even gases. It travels faster and hit the ground first. On the other hand the S waves or the secondary waves follows through making the ground also shake.Apparently these waves helps scientist take root an earthquakes epicentre of location. Through the help of seismographs, the amount of time between the P waves and the S waves are then save which is called seismogram, this will then determine how far away the earthquake was from the location. Most of the time it takes 3 seismographs to locate the epicenter or the exact direction of the earthquake which is called triangulation (Wald, 2008). During early times, natural causes were accounted with the anger of the gods that were displeased with mans action.Today, natural disasters are no longer accounted to ancient gods anymore. Instead, man explains such occurrences based on modern science. There are many causes of earthquakes. These can be attributed to volcanic eruptions or even explosions created by humans but the most frequent potential cause of this is the seismic home base movement. The plate tectonic theory states that the excavate layer of the earth called lithosphere is comprised of different plates. Through the advent of the plate tectonic theory, different phenomena and facts that were formerly unknown were finally under(a)stood.Facts such as the movement of the continents and volcanic activities were just among the few facts that plate tectonics had unveiled. Since plates tend to slide on the region below the lithosphere, any of the three different things can happen at the boundaries between these huge plates (1) the plates can move apart- whenever this occurs, hot, molten rock called magma, flows up. Magma will then emerge on the surface, an activity that mostly happens on the ocean flo or turning it into lava which in turn cools take down and fills the gaps when it hardens.The area where this occurs is called the divergent plate line. (2) The plates can push together- an occurrence where in one plate is pushed under the other one which is called subduction. When the plate is then pushed beneath, it melts down in the lower mantle layers. Although plates have the tilt to subduct with one another there are certain boundaries wherein neither of these two plates would be able to do so thus, the tendency of each plate is to push one another and form mountains. The convergent plate boundaries are an area where plates are more like to push against each other.The plates would slide against each other- when this happens the plates are then pushed tightly together building a great tension in the transform boundary (Harris, 2001). We all know that earthquakes may occur anywhere and anytime but there are certain areas that are close enough where frequent actions of tremblor s take place. The ring of fire is a zone where frequent earthquakes as well as volcanic eruptions occur. It is said that almost 90% of earthquakes in the world is experienced in this area.Countries like the United States, Indonesia, Canada, Brazil, Colombia and Chile are some of the areas that are prone to tremblors (Crystal, 2008). An earthquake brings fear and bleakness is alarming. Furthermore, the inability to predict an earthquake makes it even more fearful. Though scientists are still looking for shipway to minimize the devastating effects of an earthquake, knowledge and the understanding earthquakes are mans best defence. Earthquakes procreation serves as the best protection and the hopes and continuous researches provides more security and helps in devastation prevention.References Earthquakes. The American inheritance Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth edition. Retrieved June 11, 2008, from http//dictionary. reference. com/browse/earthquakes Harris, T. (2001). Ho w Earthquake Works. How Stuff Works. Retrieved June 12, 2008, from http//science. howstuffworks. com/earthquake. htm Wald, L. (2008). The Science of Earthquakes. U. S. Geological Survey. Retrieved June 12, 2008 from http//earthquake. usgs. gov/learning/kids/eqscience. php Crystal, E. (2008). peaceable Ring of Fire. Crystalinks. Retrieved June 12, 2008 from http//www. crystalinks. com/rof. html