Earthquake Vocabulary

Front

Earthquakes

Back

Sudden movements of the Earth's crust followed by a series of shocks.

Front

Focus

Back

The point beneath Earth's surface where rock breaks under stress and causes an earthquake.

Front

Epicenter

Back

Point on Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's focus

Front

Fault

Back

A break in the Earth's crust.

Front

Deformation

Back

The bending, tilting, and breaking of Earth's crust; the change in the shape of rock in response to stress.

Front

Magnitude

Back

Measure of the energy released during an earthquake.

Front

Intensity

Back

The amount of energy per second carried through a unit area by a wave.