Tasty Quake Activity

it’s hard to understand how the earth can move, and why earthquakes damage buildings. This activity will show you how waves will travel to damage buildings. Afterward, you can have dessert!

Materials you will need:
One metal pan of prepared gelatin dessert (recipe below)
Sugar cubes or dominoes
Plastic wrap
Cups and spoons for serving and eating dessert

Ask your parent or another adult to help with this recipe:

Recipe for gelatin dessert:
Two (6 oz) boxes of red or purple gelatin dessert
Two one-serving envelopes of unflavored gelatin
Four cups of boiling water
Four cups of cold water
One 9 X 12 METAL baking pan

Empty the gelatin dessert and the unflavored gelatin into the baking pan. Add the boiling water and stir until all the powder is dissolved. Add the cold water and mix. Chill in the refrigerator for at least three hours or until set.

rocks break in the earth’s crust they release energy in the form of waves -- waves that can go through rock and dirt. Gently tap the side of the gelatin pan. You will see waves traveling through the gelatin. This is what an earthquake wave is like when it goes through the earth. Tap the pan harder and see how the waves become bigger.

cover the top of the gelatin with plastic wrap (make sure the wrap is right on top and touching the gelatin). Use sugar cubes or dominoes to make "buildings" on the gelatin. What do you think will happen when you tap on the pan to cause "earthquake" waves through the gelatin? Try it. What happened? Make the buildings again and tap the pan harder or softer than the first time. Did something different happen? You can do this over and over. When you're done, take off the plastic wrap and have a gelatin snack!