Short-segment video lectures to give rudimentary background information on the Earth and plate tectonics to teach how earthquakes happen and how they are studied. The video lecture series was intended for middle-school Earth-science teachers, but principles can be understood by the general public and can be used in introductory undergraduate classrooms. Please click the link or scroll down to view the available videos. After viewing the videos, also check out our animations page.
Teaching Earth Science
Earth and Plate Tectonics Earthquakes and Seismology
Egg vs Earth Epicenter & Focus
Tectonic Plates Locating Epicenter
Brittle vs Ductile Seismic Wave Paths
Elastic Rebound Types of Seismic Waves
Fault Models Building Strength Demo
Earth and Plate Tectonics
Egg vs Earth
Video lecture demonstration comparing layers of the earth to layers of hard-boiled egg.
Tectonic Plates
Lecture demonstration for middle-school teachers on "What are the Tectonic Plates?" Lithospheric plates have two parts consisting of crust and upper mantle.
Brittle vs Ductile
Describes the brittle vs. ductile character of the layers of the earth using a Big Hunk candy bar.
Elastic Rebound
Uses wooden yard stick to discuss the brittle and elastic nature of tectonic plates. Stress builds up in the earth and when overcome plates shift past each other creating earthquakes.
Asthenosphere
What are the misconceptions about the asthenosphere? Learn about the visco-elastic properties of this layer of the Earth using Silly Putty.
Fault Models Lecture
Dr. Robert Butler, University of Portland, discusses Faults and Folds.
Types of Boundaries
Video lecture by Dr. Robert Butler on the four basic types of plate tectonic boundaries.
Earthquakes and Seismology
Epicenter & Focus
Video lecture discusses how scientists determine where an earthquake occurred. What is the difference between the epicenter and the focus (hypocenter).
Locating Epicenter
Locating where an earthquake occurred by using the P- and S-wave arrival times of seismic waves to three different seismograph stations.
Seismic Wave Paths
Video lecture discuss how the different seismic waves travel through the Earth and across the surface of the Earth. Shows P, S, and surface wave paths and ray velocity.
Types of Seismic Waves
Video lecture discuss how the different seismic waves travel through the Earth and across the surface of the Earth. Shows P, S, and surface wave paths and ray velocity.
Elastic Rebound
Demonstration/lecture on elastic rebound in solid rock using two models: Block & sandpaper and core of rock.
Building Strength Demo
Demonstration/lecture on how to design a structure to withstand an earthquake. Uses simple materials to engineer shear walls.
