Seismic Waves

Front

What is a fault?

Back

A fault is a fracture in Earth's crust where blocks of land have moved relative to each other.

Front

What are seismic waves?

Back

Seismic waves are waves that carry energy released during an earthquake.

Front

What type of seismic wave can travel through solids, liquids, and gases?

Back

P waves (primary waves) can travel through all layers of the Earth.

Front

What are S waves?

Back

S waves (secondary waves) are seismic waves that can only travel through solids.

Front

What are surface waves?

Back

Surface waves are seismic waves that travel along the Earth's surface and are the slowest seismic waves.

Front

What is the focus of an earthquake?

Back

The focus is the point within the Earth where an 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 the Richter Scale?

Back

The Richter Scale is a logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes.

Front

What is magnitude in the context of earthquakes?

Back

Magnitude is a measure of the energy released during an earthquake.

Front

What is the relationship between faults and earthquakes?

Back

Earthquakes often occur along faults due to the movement of tectonic plates.