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Earthquake Terms
Earthquake
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Aftershock | Less powerful shock following the principal shock of an earthquake |
Earthquake | Vibration of earth caused by release of energy that has been stored in earths rocks as they have ground past one over time |
Epicenter | Point on earths surface directly above focus of an earthquake |
Fault | Break or crack along which rocks move |
Magnitude | The strength of an earthquake |
Richter Scale | A mathematical way to determine the amount of energy released by an earthquake |
Seismograph | A device to measure the strength of an earthquake |
Tsunami | A long high sea wave caused by an earthquake |
Seismologist | person who studies earthquake |
P Waves | waves compress and expand like an accordion or slinky |
S Waves | waves vibrate from side to side or up and down |
L Waves | waves move up and down |
P Wave | Fastest of all waves |
P Waves | Travel through solids and liquids |
S Waves | Travel through solids |
L Waves | Slowest of all waves |
L Waves | Travel through crust on Earth’s surface |
Richter Scale | Uses a scale of 1-10 |
Mercalli Scale | Measures the intensity of an earthquake |
Mercalli Scale | Uses Roman Numerals 1-12 |
Ring of Fire | the volcano and earthquake epicenters that seemingly circle the Pacific Ocean. |
Transform Boundary | Plates slide past each other |
Divergent Boundary | Plates pull apart from each other |
Convergent Boundary | Plates move together |
Seismogram | recording of earthquake waves |