Understanding Earthquakes

Mix and match the terms from the word bank to its definition. Write the correct term on your notebooks. The measure of the total energy released by an earthquake.

• epicenter

• magnitude

• intensity

• focus

Mix and match the terms from the word bank to its definition. Write the correct term on your notebooks. The measure of an earthquake’s effects at various locations.

• epicenter

• magnitude

• intensity

• focus

Mix and match the terms from the word bank to its definition. Write the correct term on your notebooks. The underground point where an earthquake originates.

• epicenter

• magnitude

• intensity

• focus

Mix and match the terms from the word bank to its definition. Write the correct term on your notebooks. The point on the Earth’s surface directly above the earthquake’s focus.

• epicenter

• magnitude

• intensity

• focus

Faults that have moved in the past 10,000 years and can still produce earthquakes.

• active fault

• inactive fault

Faults that have not moved significantly for over 10,000 years and are unlikely to cause earthquakes.

• active fault

• inactive fault

The magnitude of an earthquake refers to the energy released at the earthquake's point of origin or focus. This is measured by the Richter scale, which reads the amplitude of the surface wave vibrations.