Earthquake Vocabulary

Front

What does 'balmy' mean?

Back

Mild or refreshing, soft, soothing.

Front

What does 'immense' mean?

Back

Very large.

Front

What are 'plates' in the context of earthquakes?

Back

Large sections of the Earth's surface that can move and cause earthquakes.

Front

What is a 'fault'?

Back

A break in the Earth's crust.

Front

What does 'coax' mean?

Back

To influence or persuade.

Front

What is an earthquake?

Back

A sudden shaking of the ground caused by the movement of tectonic plates.

Front

What is the 'epicenter' of an earthquake?

Back

The point on the Earth's surface directly above where the earthquake originates.

Front

What is a 'seismograph'?

Back

An instrument that measures and records the intensity and duration of seismic waves.

Front

What does 'aftershock' mean?

Back

Smaller earthquakes that occur after a larger earthquake.

Front

What is 'magnitude' in relation to earthquakes?

Back

A measure of the energy released during an earthquake.