Topic 19: Causes and effects of Earthquakes and Volcanoes
When an earthquake occurs, it’ll feel like the earth is shaking or the ground beneath you is
moving. This is because an earthquake is the result of sudden movements in Earth’s outermost
layer (also known as the Crust), which sends a burst of energy through waves to earth's surface,
causing the ground to shake.
Another natural disaster that takes place on earth’s crust is a volcano. A volcano is an opening on
earth's surface that allows lava, volcanic ash and gasses to escape. A volcano can be classified as
active, dormant or extinct. An active volcano is a volcano that may erupt in the future or is
currently erupting, for example, Mount St. Helens in Washington D.C. A dormant volcano is a
volcano that has not recently erupted but is expected to erupt again, meaning an active volcano
can be dormant for some time. Examples include Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, Africa and
Mount Fuji in Japan. Lastly, an extinct volcano is a volcano that will never erupt again due to
being cut off from their supply of lava. Examples include Mount Buninyong in Victoria Australia
and Ben Nevis, the tallest mountain in the United Kingdom.
Causes and effects of Earthquakes
- Causes -
As mentioned before, the earth's outermost layer is called the crust.
The crust is divided into about 15 sections called tectonic plates.
These tectonic plates move very slowly (typically about a few centimeters per year); however,
although their movement is slow, at some point they may collide or slide against each other and
become stuck due to friction. They can be stuck for long periods of time. Once the force of their
movement overcomes the friction, energy is released in seismic waves that travel through the
earth’s crust, resulting in an earthquake followed by the shaking we feel.
Although these instances are rare, earthquakes can also be caused by human activity. Drilling,
mining, fracking (the act of injecting liquids at high pressure deep beneath the surface), waste
water disposal, and dam building are all causes of man made earthquakes because they alter the
pressure and strains on earth’s crust.
- Effects -
The primary effects of earthquakes include:
● Ground shaking
● Ground rupture
● Landslides
● Tsunamis (although not common)
● Soil liquefaction (the conversion of gasses into liquid)
Other effects of earthquakes that impact human society are:
● Structural damage to buildings
● Fires
● Damage to bridges and highways
● Collapsing of buildings or other man made structures
● Falling trees which may collide with wires, poles or even houses
Causes and effects of Volcanoes
- Causes -
Volcanoes are formed when one tectonic plate moves under another. This creates a small opening
or vent in which steam, gasses, ash and lava are released in the form of a volcanic eruption.
Since deep within the earth is extremely hot, the rocks inside it melt and become a thick liquid
called magma. This magma is less dense than the solid rock around it; therefore, it rises and
settles into magma chambers. Once enough magma has piled up in the chamber, something must
trigger it to erupt. These triggers range from, “an injection of new magma into the chamber, or a
buildup of gasses within the volcano to a landslide that removes material from the top of a
volcano”. Clouds of volcanic ash can remain in the atmosphere for several months, even a year
or more.
- Effects -
When a volcano erupts, hot destructive lava and other gasses are spewed out into the
environment. It has even resulted in the death of innocent civilians and can cause health risks
like lung cancer due to the ash materials polluting the air.
Other effects of volcanic eruptions include:
● Floods
● Mudslides
● Power outages
● Drinking water contamination
● Wildfires
