Geological and Seismological Terms

Front

Normal Fault

Back

A type of geological fault that occurs when Tensional Forces pull apart the Earth's crust.

Front

Tensional Forces

Back

Forces that act to stretch or pull apart materials, leading to the formation of normal faults.

Front

Compressional Forces

Back

Forces that push together, resulting in the formation of reverse faults.

Front

Reverse Fault

Back

A type of fault that occurs when Compressional Forces cause the Earth's crust to be pushed together.

Front

Strike-slip Fault

Back

A fault characterized by Shear Forces that cause blocks of the Earth's crust to slide past each other.

Front

Shear Forces

Back

Forces that cause two parts of a material to slide against each other.

Front

P Waves

Back

Primary seismic waves that are the fastest and can travel through both solids and liquids.

Front

S Waves

Back

Secondary seismic waves that are slower than P Waves and can only travel through solids.

Front

Rayleigh Waves

Back

Surface waves that roll along the ground and can cause significant damage during earthquakes.

Front

Love Waves

Back

Side-to-side surface waves that can only travel through solids, typically causing destruction during an earthquake.