Earthquakes LAST

Front

What is an earthquake?

Back

An earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves.

Front

What are seismic waves?

Back

Seismic waves are waves of energy that travel through the Earth, and they are produced by earthquakes or other geological processes.

Front

What are the two main types of seismic waves?

Back

The two main types of seismic waves are P-waves (primary waves) and S-waves (secondary waves).

Front

What does the 'S' in S-wave stand for?

Back

The 'S' in S-wave stands for 'Secondary', indicating that these waves arrive after P-waves.

Front

What is the focus of an earthquake?

Back

The focus of an earthquake is the point within the Earth where the earthquake originates.

Front

What is the epicenter of an earthquake?

Back

The epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.

Front

What is a fault in geological terms?

Back

A fault is a break in the Earth's crust along which movement has occurred, causing earthquakes.

Front

What are aftershocks?

Back

Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur in the same general area during the days to years following a larger earthquake.

Front

What is the Richter scale?

Back

The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake based on the amplitude of seismic waves.

Front

What is the moment magnitude scale?

Back

The moment magnitude scale is a more modern and accurate scale for measuring the size of earthquakes, taking into account the area of the fault that slipped.