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Why do people die in earthquakes?

A. What are the factors that determine the damage done by a major earthquake?

factors_affecting_the_damage_done_by_earthquakes.docx
File Size: 462 kb
File Type: docx
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Use this video and any additional materials from your studies (or even personal experience) to describe and give examples of the effect that each of the following will have on the damage, injuries and deaths caused by an earthquake:
  • Magnitude of earthquake
  • Depth of earthquake
  • Geology of the area where the earthquake happens
  • Wealth of the area
  • Building design
  • Education and training
  • Quality of emergency services
  • Population density
  • Time of day when the earthquake strikes
  • Previous experience of earthquakes in the area

​

B. "The bigger the earthquake, the more people die" investigation

Is there a correlation between the magnitude of an earthquake and the number of people who die?
​You are going to investigate this question and produce a report on your findings and the reasons for them.
​

1) Is there a link between the magnitude of an earthquake and the number of deaths?

Use the BBC article below to create a spreadsheet that you can use to investigate the correlation between earthquake magnitude and the number of fatalities. you can make a copy of the spreadsheet below and edit it for your investigation.
  1. Use your spreadsheet to create a scattergraph and line of best fit of number of deaths against magnitude. Make sure the graph is complete with title, labelled axes and a key if needed. Think carefully about the minimum and maximum values on your axes.
  2. Copy and paste your spreadsheet into a document and analyse the patterns it shows. Consider:
    1. Is there a correlation between magnitude and deaths? How strong is it? 
    2. What are the anomalies? Identify them and try to explain.
    3. What other factors might be important?

BBC History of deadly earthquakes
Picture


2. Is there a link between how rich and country is and how people are affected by earthquakes?

World bank GDP per capita data
What other factors might affect the number of deaths? One might be how rich the country or area is and how well prepared people are. You are now going to investigate if this seems to be part of a pattern:
  1. Use the World Bank website to add GDP per capita data to your spreadsheet (make sure you know what GDP per capita is and how it is calculated!).
  2. Draw a second scattergraph - Number of deaths against GDP per capita. 
  3. Copy and paste this into the same document and analyse it as above.
​

3. What are the factors that affect how many people die in an earthquake?

Investigate each of the aspects below and explain, using examples, how they can affect the number of people who die in a natural disaster.

a) Building design

Can you build an earthquake proof building?


b) Education and training

What to do in an earthquake


c) Depth of earthquake

How deep the earthquake is below the ground will have an effect on the strength of the shaking and on aftershocks.
Why is the depth of an earthquake important?


d) Population density

Check that you understand what is meant by population density. Explain how the density of population will have an effect on how many people will be affected.


e) Other important factors

You should investigate:
  • Time of day at which the earthquake occurs. Why might and earthquake do more damage at 8.30am than at 11pm? Look for examples to help explain.
  • History of earthquakes in the area and the experience of local people (you could compare Haiti and Japan as an example here). Why might earthquakes kills fewer people in a place where they happen more often?
  • Age of the residents
Factors affecting the damage done by earthquakes
BBC Bitesize - factors affecting earthquake damage
  • Home
    • Contact
  • MYP
    • Development >
      • An unequal world?
      • Billionaires investigation
      • Africa: the danger of a single story
      • Patterns of development
      • Trade and development
      • Fair Trade
      • Sustainable Development Goals
    • Tectonic Hazards >
      • What is risk?
      • Alfred Wegener and Continental Drift
      • Plate tectonics
      • Distribution of tectonic hazards
      • Measuring earthquakes
      • Why do people die in earthquakes?
      • School earthquake plan
      • Earthquake assessment
      • Volcanoes - what are they? Why are they important?
      • Volcano "Science Fair"
      • Causes of tsunami
    • Population >
      • Why study population?
      • Population distribution
      • Population growth
      • Population pyramids
      • Demographic transition model
      • Migration
      • Migration examples - case studies
      • Refugees in Indonesia
      • Population revision activities
    • Weather and Climate >
      • Weather vs Climate and why is it important?
      • Climate graphs
      • Why does it rain?
      • What affects temperature and why is Jakarta so hot and wet?
      • What causes wind and how do we measure it?
      • Microclimates
  • IGCSE
    • Course information
    • Physical: Hazardous environments >
      • Distribution of tectonic hazards
      • Causes of tsunami
      • Measuring earthquakes
      • Earthquake case study 1: Haiti
      • Earthquake case study 2: Christchurch
      • Why do earthquakes do more damage in LICs than in HICs?
      • How are volcanic eruptions measured?
      • Tropical storms - distribution
      • Causes of tropical cyclones
      • Tropical cyclones - case study
      • Why live in hazardous areas?
    • River Environments >
      • Hydrological cycle
      • River basins
      • Factors affecting river regimes
      • Fluvial processes: erosion
      • Fluvial processes: weathering and mass movement
      • Fluvial processes: transportation and depositon
      • River features and their formation
      • How rivers change from source to mouth
      • Uses of water
      • Water pollution
      • Water supply
  • IBDP
    • Changing population >
      • Global patterns of economic development
      • Physical and human factors affecting global population distribution
      • Case study 1: China
      • Case study 2: Niger
      • Demographic transition
      • Megacity growth
      • Forced migration and internal displacement
      • Ageing populations
      • Pro-natalist and anti-natalist policies
      • Gender equality policies
      • Trafficking policies
      • The Demographic Dividend
    • Global climate vulnerability and resilience >
      • Atmospheric system
      • The energy balance
      • Changes in the energy balance
      • The enhanced greenhouse effect
      • Climate Change and the Hydrosphere, Atmosphere and Biosphere
      • Impacts of climate change on people and places
      • Disparities in exposure to climate change risk and vulnerability
      • Government-led adaptation and mitigation strategies
      • Civil society and corporate strategies
    • Global resource consumption and security >
      • Progress towards poverty reduction
      • Measuring trends in global consumption
      • Global patterns and trends in the availability and consumption of water
      • Global patterns and trends in the availability and consumption of land/food
      • Global patterns and trends in the availability and consumption of energy
      • Water food and energy nexus
      • Recycling and waste
      • Malthus vs Boserup
      • Resource Stewardship strategies
      • Sustainable Development Goals
    • Freshwater - drainage basins >
      • The drainage basin as a system
      • How rivers change from source to mouth
      • River discharge
      • River processes
      • River landforms
      • Factors affecting flood risk
      • Attempts at flood prediction
      • Flood mitigation
      • Flood mitigation case studies
      • Water scarcity
      • Agricultural activities and water quality
      • Pressures on lakes and aquifers
      • Internationally shared water and conflict
      • Water management: participation of local communities
      • Dams as multi-purpose schemes
      • Water management: Integrated Drainage Basin Management (IDBM)
      • Managing wetlands
    • Leisure, Sport and Tourism >
      • Growth and purpose of leisure time
      • Categories of tourism and sport
      • Economic development and participation
      • Factors affecting personal participation
      • Factors affecting growth of tourism hotspots
      • Spheres of influencee
      • Factors affecting a national sports league
      • Festivals
      • Niche national tourism strategies
      • Role of TNCs
      • Tourism as a national development strategy
      • International sporting events
      • Consequences of unsustainable growth
      • Sustainable tourism
      • Future international tourism
      • Political and cultural influences on sport
    • Extended Essay in Geography >
      • Supervisor meetings
    • Skills/concepts >
      • Infographics
      • 4 Ps
      • Mock examination revision and preparation
  • Geography and ToK
  • Theory of Knowledge
    • Knowledge and Technology
    • Knowledge and Language
    • Knowledge and Politics
    • Knowledge and Religion
    • Knowledge and Indigenous Societies