home Classroom Clues, Science Suggestions Quick Science: Model an Earthquake

Quick Science: Model an Earthquake


A drawing of a skull with a striped background

Just like many earthquakes, you can model the process of building up pressure and then having it released quickly. 

Snap your fingers!

The pressure between your fingers builds up and you continue adding pressure until suddenly the force overcomes the friction between your fingers and you snap!

Earthquakes affect an entire area. The snap occurs between your fingers, but your whole hand is affected. 

Remind students this is a model to help them understand science.  It is impossible to bring an earthquake into the classroom.

Interested in other models for Earth movement or earthquakes? Here’s a few I found online: