Measuring Earthquake Strength
Know that scientists measure earthquakes using seismometers, that earthquakes release energy that travels as waves through the ground, and that a magnitude scale describes their strength
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Set out your lesson
“If your child heard a news report about a magnitude 6 earthquake, could they explain what a seismometer is, that earthquakes send waves through the ground, and that higher numbers mean stronger quakes?”
Full guide and materials
- Activity. Know that scientists measure earthquakes using seismometers, that earthquakes release energy that travels as waves through the ground, and that a magnitude scale describes their strength
What to notice. Explain that a seismometer is an instrument that detects and records ground shaking • Describe earthquake energy as waves that travel outward from where rocks broke • Interpret a magnitude number as a measure of an earthquake's strength
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If your child heard a news report about a magnitude 6 earthquake, could they explain what a seismometer is, that earthquakes send waves through the ground, and that higher numbers mean stronger quakes?
Know that scientists measure earthquakes using seismometers, that earthquakes release energy that travels as waves through the ground, and that a magnitude scale describes their strength
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Check understanding
- Explain that a seismometer is an instrument that detects and records ground shaking
- Describe earthquake energy as waves that travel outward from where rocks broke
- Interpret a magnitude number as a measure of an earthquake's strength
“If your child heard a news report about a magnitude 6 earthquake, could they explain what a seismometer is, that earthquakes send waves through the ground, and that higher numbers mean stronger quakes?”
Curriculum record
- Type
- Conceptual
- Subject
- Science
- Domain
- Volcanoes & Earthquakes
- Age range
- Ages 9–11