Earthquakes KS2 - Labelling Worksheet for Primary Education - Free Printable

The image is an educational diagram titled "Earthquake Cross-Section", which shows a simplified cross-sectional view of the Earth during an earthquake. The task involves labeling different parts of the earthquake using the provided terms:

Terms to label:
- Earth’s crust
- Epicentre
- Hypocentre
- Fault line
- Tectonic plate

Let’s analyze the diagram and match each term to its correct location.

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🔍 Step-by-step Explanation:

1. Hypocentre (Focus):
- This is the point inside the Earth where the earthquake starts.
- It is located deep within the crust, at the origin of the seismic waves.
- In the diagram, there's a red circle underground showing the origin of the shaking — this is the hypocentre.
- ✔ So, the bottom-left box (directly below the red circle) should be labeled "hypocentre".

2. Epicentre:
- This is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the hypocentre.
- In the diagram, the center of the concentric circles on the ground (where the ripples start) marks the epicentre.
- ✔ The top-left box (on the surface, centered over the red area) should be labeled "epicentre".

3. Earth’s Crust:
- This is the outermost solid layer of the Earth, where the land, trees, and buildings are located.
- In the diagram, it's the upper green and brown layer above the fault line.
- ✔ The left side of the diagram, just above the fault line, should be labeled "earth's crust".

4. Fault Line:
- A fracture in the Earth’s crust where movement occurs during an earthquake.
- In the diagram, there's a vertical break in the rock layers beneath the surface, with arrows indicating movement.
- ✔ The horizontal line cutting through the crust (the crack) should be labeled "fault line".

5. Tectonic Plate:
- These are large pieces of the Earth’s lithosphere that move slowly over time.
- In the diagram, the entire block of rock beneath the surface (including the crust and upper mantle) represents a tectonic plate.
- ✔ The right-side box (showing the larger slab of rock) should be labeled "tectonic plate".

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✔ Final Labeling:

Here’s how the boxes should be filled:

| Box Position | Correct Label |
|--------------|-----------------------|
| Top-left | Epicentre |
| Middle-left | Earth’s crust |
| Bottom-left | Hypocentre |
| Right-top | Tectonic plate |
| Right-middle | Fault line |

> Note: There are five labels and five boxes. The "fault line" is shown as a line across the crust, so it goes in the middle-right box.

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🧠 Summary:

- Hypocentre: Origin of earthquake underground.
- Epicentre: Point on surface directly above hypocentre.
- Fault line: Crack where plates move.
- Earth’s crust: Outer layer of Earth.
- Tectonic plate: Large section of the Earth’s lithosphere.

This activity helps students visualize how earthquakes originate and propagate through the Earth.

✔ Answer:
Label the boxes as follows:
1. Top-left: Epicentre
2. Middle-left: Earth’s crust
3. Bottom-left: Hypocentre
4. Right-top: Tectonic plate
5. Right-middle: Fault line