Earthquake Simulator: Defining fault characteristics Open

15min Novice

What is the largest magnitude earthquake possible on strike slip fault?

This online simulator for events on the San Andreas Fault in California allows learners to explore the amount of energy released by an earthquake. Learners can manipulate the length and width of the fault and how much the fault slips. These variables, along with the rocks rigidity are used to calculate the Moment Magnitude of the fault. Students can use this simulator to explore just how big an earthquake might be possible on the San Andreas fault. This tool can be a useful to make comparisons when discussing disaster movies! 

Keypoints:

  • What are the major factors that contribute to the amount of energy released from an earthquake?
  • What size quake is possible on the San Andreas Fault in California? 

Related Animations

In a strike-slip fault, the movement of blocks along a fault is horizontal. The fault motion of a strike-slip fault is caused by shearing forces. Other names: transcurrent fault, lateral fault, tear fault or wrench fault. Examples: San Andreas Fault, California; Anatolian Fault, Turkey.

Animation Novice

An asperity is an area on a fault that is stuck or locked. Scientists study areas along long fault zones that have not had earthquakes in a long time in order to determine where the next earthquake may occur. As long faults move, all areas of it will, at some point, become "unstuck" causing an earthquake relative to the the size of the asperity that finally breaks.

Animation Novice

View looking into a fault zone with a single asperity. Regional right lateral strain puts stress on the fault zone. A single asperity resists movement of the green line which deforms before finally rupturing.

Animation Novice

Left-lateral fault strike slip fault with little or no friction along fault contact. There is no deformation of the rock adjacent to contact. If the block opposite an observer looking across the fault moves to the left, the motion is termed left lateral.

Animation Novice

Animation of the single-block "Earthquake Machine", a mechanical model of the earthquake process using a wood block, sandpaper, and rubber bands. This model shows how "Forces, Faults, and Friction" interact as elastic energy is slowly stored when the rubber back stretches and then is rapidly released as the block jerks during an "earthquake".

Animation Novice

Graphing time vs. distance using the classic block-and-sandpaper "earthquake machine"

Animation Novice

Graphing time vs. strain using the classic block-and-sandpaper "earthquake machine"

Animation Novice

Related Fact-Sheets

Earth is an active place and earthquakes are always happening somewhere. In fact, the National Earthquake Information Center locates about 12,000-14,000 earthquakes each year! This fact sheet illustrates information on the frequency of earthquakes of various magnitudes, along with details on the effects of earthquakes and the equivalent energy release.

Fact-Sheet Novice

Related Videos

This demonstration, squeezing uncooked spaghetti noodles in a wood template set in a vise, effectively shows how asperities (stuck patches) on a fault rupture at different times.

Video Novice

This demonstration shows that rocks are elastic by squeezing a slit core of rock.

Video Novice

Video lecture covers three basic types of tectonic plate boundaries.

Video Novice

Related Lessons

Using a block-and-sandpaper model, students collaborate in small groups to investigate how energy is stored elastically in rocks and released suddenly as an earthquake (the earthquake cycle). This activity emphasizes the role of mechanical models in understanding and testing ideas in science.

Lesson Novice

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