Earthquakes and Volcanoes Flashcard

Front

What are Surface Waves?

Back

Surface waves are seismic waves that travel along the Earth's surface and tend to cause the greatest damage during an earthquake.

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 an earthquake?

Back

An earthquake is caused by the sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust, often due to tectonic plates slipping.

Front

What are P-waves?

Back

P-waves, or primary waves, are seismic waves that compress and expand the material they move through, traveling faster than other types of waves.

Front

What are Faults?

Back

Faults are fractures in the Earth's crust where blocks of rock have moved past each other, often causing earthquakes.

Front

What is the difference between an earthquake and a volcano?

Back

An earthquake is the shaking of the Earth's crust caused by the release of energy, while a volcano is an opening in the Earth's crust where molten rock, ash, and gases can escape.

Front

How do seismic waves travel?

Back

Seismic waves generated by an earthquake travel outward in all directions from the point of origin.

Front

What is a tectonic plate?

Back

Tectonic plates are large sections of the Earth's lithosphere that move and interact with each other, causing geological activity like earthquakes and volcanoes.

Front

What is triangulation in the context of earthquakes?

Back

Triangulation is a method used to determine the location of an earthquake's epicenter by using data from multiple seismic stations.

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.