Introduction
Earthquakes have been a major issue for mankind for a long time. Many people have lost their lives during earthquakes. Property worth billions of dollars has been destroyed as well. The fact that it is not possible to predict with certainty when an earth quake is going to strike makes it even scarier. But tools have been developed to monitor the behavior of the earth’s core and use it to try and predict the possibility of earthquakes striking certain regions (United States Geological Survey 1).The distribution of earthquakes around the world is not uniform. Some parts experience earthquakes frequently while others do not.
Main body
In the United States, earthquakes are more common in the north western part and the Pacific Coast. States such as California and Alaska experience earthquakes more frequently than other states. There seems to be a higher concentration of earthquakes in the coastal areas of the United States than the inland part (United States Geological Survey 1). This pattern is the same for the world whereby most earthquake activity is concentrated on coastal areas as well as islands. Asian countries such as Japan and North America are some of the parts of the world that have witnessed higher earthquake activity in history (United States Geological Survey 1).
If I am asked to live in one of the areas marked red on the maps, I would try as much as possible to decline. This is because red means that the area is most likely to be affected by earthquakes, meaning that the risk of being injured or losing property is higher. If I have to live in such an area, then I would take the decision but take all the precautions such that in the event of an earthquake, I am not injured. Making use of the resources provided by the government for safety during earthquakes would be one of the things I would do to ensure that I am not in danger.
In the event that I and my family are forced to move to an area that has high chances of experiencing earthquakes, I will make use of the resources availed by the United States government to help my family prepare for earthquakes. These resources include the advice on what I and my family members should do during and after the earthquake. This is important information that will help us avoid getting injured or killed during an earthquake. For example the information availed by the government advices people who are caught in earthquakes to avoid trying to reach for the door (United States Geological Survey 1).This is because one stands a higher chance of being injured by falling objects. It is safer to take a position that is not likely to collapse due to the shakes generated by the earthquake. Are there any earthquakes that have occurred recently?
Earthquakes are always striking one area of the earth or another. The two most recent earthquakes occurred in Indonesia. One occurred at Halmahera while the other struck the Flores region, both in Indonesia. These earthquakes struck on the 17th of August 2010 (United States Geological Survey 1). The continued occurrence of earthquakes despite all the available technology shows that science is not the ultimate answer when it comes to the prediction or control of natural occurrences such as earthquakes. But due to the frequency of these destructive earthquakes and the discovery of the connection between the movement of the contents of the earth’s core and the occurrence of earthquakes, special tools such as the seismograph have been developed so measure or detect the rumblings of the earth.
The energy that is experienced during earthquakes is different from the biological energy that is obtained through respiration in that the earthquake energy is related to the physical energy conversion processes whereby potential energy in the earth’s core turns into kinetic energy that causes motion on the earth’s surface. In respiration, the food we eat is broken down in an oxidation process to release energy. The similarity in these two types of energy is that they both lead to motion.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is evident that as much as a considerable amount of resources have been dedicated to research about earthquakes, it is still not possible to perfectly predict when an earthquake will strike. This leaves us with the option of being on the lookout and utilizing the history of the places where we stay to stay safe. The coastal parts of the United States especially the North West and the pacific coast are the areas that are frequently affected by earthquakes. The world pattern of earthquake activity also points to the fact that the coastal parts of the world are more prone to earthquakes than the areas that are far from the coast. If I were to be asked to live in an area that is frequently affected by earthquakes would try to make use to the available information so as to remain safe. This is what I would do with my family too. It is also clear that earthquake activity is ongoing. The recent earthquakes were experienced in the Flores region and Halmahera in Indonesia. Lastly, earthquake energy is different from the calories generated in our bodies due to the fact that the calories are a product of respiration while earthquake energy is due to the movement of the liquid part of the earth’s core. The similarity is that both are capable of motion.
Work Cited
United States Geological Survey. “Earthquake Hazards Program” 2010.Web.