Lab 3.3 – Earthquake and Tsunami Hazards

Estimated time to complete: 25 minutes
Materials needed: Computer

Use this map of bathymetry and earthquakes in the northeastern region of the Pacific Ocean to make observations and answer the questions below.

Assessment questions

  1. What type of boundary is indicated by the deepest earthquakes and the locations of mountain ranges on the nearby land?
  2. What is the number of earthquakes at this boundary relative to the mid-ocean ridge segments and transform zones? Is it more or less?
  3. What might the number of earthquakes at the mid-ocean ridge and transform zone indicate about plate movement?
  4. What might the number of earthquakes in the subduction zone indicate? Why might it be different than at the mid-ocean ridge?
  5. What does the reduced number of earthquakes in the subduction zone suggest about future natural hazards? What is your hypothesis concerning future earthquakes in this area?
  6. In thinking about your answer to the last question and the 2011 earthquake in Japan, what do you hypothesize about the potential for tsunamis in this region of the world?