Earthquake

Front

What are P waves?

Back

P waves, or primary waves, are seismic waves that travel the fastest through the Earth and can move through solids, liquids, and gases.

Front

What are S waves?

Back

S waves, or secondary waves, are seismic waves that travel slower than P waves and can only move through solids.

Front

What is the epicenter of an earthquake?

Back

The epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the location where an earthquake originates.

Front

What causes a tsunami?

Back

A tsunami is primarily caused by undersea earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or landslides.

Front

What is triangulation in the context of earthquakes?

Back

Triangulation is a method used to determine the epicenter of an earthquake by using data from at least three seismic stations.

Front

What is the relationship between plate tectonics and earthquakes?

Back

The movement of the Earth's tectonic plates can cause stress to build up, leading to earthquakes when the stress is released.

Front

What is a seismic station?

Back

A seismic station is a location equipped with instruments to detect and record seismic waves from earthquakes.

Front

What is the difference between the focus and the epicenter of an earthquake?

Back

The focus is the point within the Earth where an earthquake originates, while the epicenter is the point directly above it on the surface.

Front

What are the effects of an earthquake?

Back

Earthquakes can cause ground shaking, surface rupture, tsunamis, landslides, and can lead to significant damage to buildings and infrastructure.

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.