Seismometer

High school (ages 12+)
Science & Technology

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/seismometer

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. What is the sensor technology?Modern seismometers utilize technologies such as electromagnetic induction, capacitive sensing, and accelerometers
2. What is the output signal?The recorded data is a seismogram, representing ground motion over time
3. What is a seismometer and how does it work?A seismometer is a very sensitive device that listens to the Earth's vibrations. It has a heavy mass that stays still while the ground moves, and the difference in motion is turned into an electrical signal. This signal shows when and how strong an earthquake is.
4. How did people first detect earthquakes before modern seismometers?Ancient people built simple machines, like Zhang Heng's device in 132 AD, that could point in the direction of shaking. These early instruments were made of gears and springs and could tell if the ground was moving.

Seismogram: A visual or digital record of ground motion detected by a seismograph.
Focal Mechanism: The set of parameters describing the orientation and type of slip on the fault that caused an earthquake.
Broadband Seismometer: An instrument capable of recording seismic waves across a wide range of frequencies and amplitudes.