Build Your Own Seismograph_Tutorial. Part 1/5

6min 58s Novice

In this segment Dr. John Taber describes how seismic waves travel around the earth.  By choosing select seismograms he shows how the seismic signals travel across the earth and are recorded by seismograph stations. Even though we might not feel the effects of a Great earthquake, the ground does move up and down which is felt by seismometers.

Dr. Taber suggests common materials to build your own seismometer in the classroom or at home (examples: sinkers, empty paper towel rolls, springs, straws, paper, paper plates & cups, pipe cleaners, marbles, pens and pencils, string or wire.)

Keypoints:

Design criteria:

  • It is to be made of common inexpensive materials
  • capable of determining the relative size of each disturbance it measures
  • capable of measuring vibrations continuously for at least a minute
  • capable of capturing the time when these disturbances occurred
  • capable of measuring vibrations from three different sources