Earthquake Vocab

What is the Focus of an Earthquake?

• The seismic station closest to the earthquake

• The point on the surface directly above the focus

• The point below the surface where rock begins to break and the first motion occurs

• The place where the greatest damage occurs

What does the Richter Scale measure?

• the strength of an earthquake

• the damage caused by an Earthquake

• the amount of radon gas released

• the weight of tectonic plates

The epicenter of an earthquake is:

• The point below the surface where rock begins to break and the first motion occurs

• The point on the surface directly above the focus

• The place where the greatest damage occurs

• The seismic station closest to the earthquake

What does the Mercalli Scale Measure?

• The distance between the epicenter and the focus of an Earthquake

• The amount of time an Earthquake lasts.

• The amount of energy released by an Earthquake.

• The amount of destruction caused by an Earthquake.

An instrument that detects and measures earthquakes is a 

• Focus seismic map

• Seismogram

• Focus

• Seismograph

The motion caused by earthquakes travels outward from the focus in the form of ________ ________ and comes in two varieties; Surface & Body.

• Chemical energy

• Seismic waves

• Gravity waves

• Electromagnetc waves

The category of seismic wave that travels through the interior of the Earth and includes both P & S Waves, is a:

• Body Wave

• Surface Wave

• Love Wave

• Raleigh Wave

A category of seismic waves. This one travels across the crust of the Earth, and not the interior.

• P-Wave

• S-wave

• Body Wave

• Surface Wave

A type of seismic wave that moves in a rolling motion over the surface of the Earth.

• Love Wave

• S Wave

• P Wave

• Raleigh Wave

A type of seismic wave that moves over the surface of the Earth in a sawing (back & forth) motion, and causes a great deal of damage.

• Love Wave

• Raleigh Wave

• P-Wave

• S-Wave