2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami

High school (ages 12+)
Environment & Earth

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/2011-t-hoku-earthquake-and-tsunami

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. How big is 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami?Approximately 500 kilometers long and 200 kilometers wide
2. What caused the giant earthquake in Japan in 2011?The Pacific Plate slipped under the North American Plate, creating a huge earthquake that shook the ground like a giant trampoline.
3. How high were the waves that hit the coast during the tsunami?The waves reached up to about 40.5 meters, which is as tall as a 13‑story building.

Subduction Zone: An area where one tectonic plate slides beneath another, often leading to earthquakes and volcanic activity.
Moment Magnitude Scale: A scale used to measure the size of earthquakes based on the total energy released.
Radioactive Contamination: The presence of radioactive substances in the environment, posing health risks to living organisms.