Building for Earthquakes

Summary

Seismic waves occur in three types. P waves compress and expand the ground like an accordion. S waves can vibrate from side to side or up and down. Surface waves can make the ground roll like ocean waves. Seismic waves can affect natural land features and structures built by people.

In this activity, you will design, build, and test a model that simulates an earthquake in order to learn how earthquake energy affects land and buildings.