One way in which a model of an earthquake can be made is using water and gelatin product. As making this working model will involve boiling water, the help of a supervising adult should be maintained at all times. The model will show how any earthquake is formed when the Earth's tectonic plates move against one other. Follow the procedure below to produce a working model of an earthquake.
- Firstly, boil around a liter of water in a pan. As it comes to the boil, add gelatin powder until a relatively thick mixture has been produced. Once this mixture is evident, turn off the heat and allow cooling for around half an hour.
- Take the pan and put it in a refrigerator to cool the gelatin. Leave it in there for several hours, until the gelatin is firm. Whilst the gelatin is cooling, you can get busy on the next part of the project. Here, take a large piece of plastic wrap and cut it in half. Lay these two halves next to each other on a kitchen counter.
- Once the gelatin has hardened, remove the pan from the refrigerator. Heat the pan at a low temperature until you are able to remove the gelatin.
- Take the gelatin and place it on top of your plastic wrap pieces, so the gap between the pieces is halfway along the gelatin. Take a knife and carefully cut through the gelatin at the position of the gap in the plastic pieces.
- You then have your earthquake structure. Slide the two pieces of gelatin (supported by the plastic) back and forth against each other, and like an earthquake shaking will be seen at the gap. This demonstration shows exactly what happens when an earthquake takes place in a straightforward, visual way.
