Alaska Earthquake Research Paper

Convection Currents

The Alaskan Way Viaduct will collapse if an earthquake happens. Tectonic plates rubbing together causes an earthquake. What causes them to rub together? An earthquake happens through a sequence of cause and effect. Altogether, temperature, density, and convection currents work together to cause an earthquake.

The layer of the Earth are made up of the lithosphere, asthenosphere, mesosphere, and the core. In the lithosphere, there is the upper rigid mantle, oceanic crust, and continental crust. The oceanic crust and continental crust is what makes up the lithosphere. Inside these layers, temperature and density all play a role in the layers of the Earth. This information was found in the “Density Column lab” and “Sink or Float Lab”. In the labs, it was discovered that the less dense liquids would be on top and the more dense liquids would be on the bottom. The liquids posed as the layers of the Earth. Density is how much matter can go into an object. According to the “Density Cubes Lab”, the more atoms in one object, no matter the size, can be

The particles have a big play on the earthquakes. Convection currents are happening in the asthenosphere. These are particles going in a circular motion. This was discovered in the “Convection Currents Lab”. The candle, acting like the inner core was heating up the liquid inside the jar, acting like the asthenosphere and its particles. The liquid posing as the particles were being heated and rising up because the molecules were getting less dense. When it reached the top the molecules fall again because they get cold and less dense. In the “Density Reading” it stated that cold water sinks because it is more dense and compacted. The particles start hitting the top of the lithosphere. The asthenosphere is ductile, which means easy to move. They starts to slide and rubbing together causing an earthquake. Therefore, the Alaskan Way Viaduct can