Download BreannaD

Edison Elementary
5801 Main St.
Bow WA 98232
January, 17, 2007
The white house
1600 Pennsylvania
Avenue NW
WA, PC, 20500
Dear Mr. President,
Thank you Mr. P. for allowing me to answer your questions, and to show you what I
know about earthquakes and where they occur. In these few paragraphs I will answer
your questions that you had asked me about.
Your first question you had asked me was where most recent earthquakes have been
occurring and if it occurs in certain places? Well they do occur in certain places such as
Japan, Indonesia, Alaska, Fiji, Tonga, and California. Most earthquakes occur along plate
boundaries. It is because plates are constantly moving and when the plates interact with
each other they cause an earthquake.
Your second question was weather or not there is any way to determine what parts of the
world are prone to earthquakes. There are areas that are prone to that kind of stuff. You
know the area’s that are prone to earthquakes just by looking at the map because there are
so many of them in one area. Like California, and the other ones that I have mentioned.
They are mostly on plate boundaries, so they know what to do if there was an earthquake.
Your third question was if there was a relationship with earthquakes and volcanoes. I
believe that there is, I think that they have at least two things in common. My first reason
to believe this is they both destroy things. I mean earthquakes move the earth and they
happen because of the earths plates colliding. Volcanoes erupt and they destroy land as
well. My second reason is because they both are a part of the earths system are natural
forces I guess you could call it.
Your fourth and last question was what’s causing the earthquakes; well the earth is made
out of plates called plate tectonics. When the plates intersect with each other they cause a
vibration and then an earthquake. There are three faults that cause the earthquakes known
as the reverse fault also known as convergent and compression, normal faults also known
as divergent and tension, and lastly the strike slip also known as the transform fault and
shearing. Now they move in directions such as the normal fault the plates move away
from each other, strike-slip the plates move diagonally rubbing against each other, and
lastly reverse fault where the plates collide.
Once more I would like to thank you for allowing me to answer your questions, If you
have any questions that involve earthquakes please feel free to contact me.
Sincerely,
Breanna D
Leader of the USGS