Earthquakes

A violent shaking of the Earth that occurs when two tectonic plates bump into each other

• earthquake

• fault

• seismometer

• Moment Magnitude Scale

the boundary between two tectonic plates, where earthquakes often occur

• earthquake

• fault

• Sesimometer

• Moment Magnitude Scale

an instrument that responds to ground motions, such as caused by

earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and explosions.

• earthquake

• fault

• Seismometer

• Moment Magnitude Scale

A scale that measures the size of the earthquake in magnitude. The larger the number on the scale, the larger the earthquake

• earthquake

• fault

• seismometer

• Moment Magnitude Scale

Earthquake of this size is not noticeable

• 3.0 magnitude earthquake

• 4.0 magnitude earthquake

• 6.0 magnitude earthquake

• 6.0 magnitude earthquake

Earthquake of this size could shake your house as if a large truck were passing close by.

• 3.0 magnitude earthquake

• 4.0 magnitude earthquake

• 6.0 magnitude earthquake

• 7.0 magnitude earthquake

Earthquake of this size would cause stuff to fall off of shelves. Walls in some houses may crack and windows break.

• 3.0 magnitude earthquake

• 4.0 magnitude earthquake

• 6.0 magnitude earthquake

• 7.0 magnitude earthquake

Earthquake of this size would cause weaker buildings to collapse and cracks to occur in bridges and on the street.

• 3.0 magnitude earthquake

• 4.0 magnitude earthquake

• 6.0 magnitude earthquake

• 7.0 magnitude earthquake

Earthquake of this size would cause whole cities to be flattened and large-scale damage.

• 9.0 Magnitude Earthquake and up

• tsunami

• foreshock

• aftershock

Huge sea wave caused by an underwater earthquake

• 9.0 Magnitude Earthquake and up

• tsunami

• foreshcock

• aftershock