| Question |
 |
|
| Answer |
|
|
| focus |
point within Earth where the earthquake starts |
| epicenter |
location on the surface directly above the focus |
| fault |
fractures in the Earth where movement has occurred |
| aftershock |
movement that follows a major earthquake |
| seismograph |
instrument that records earthquake waves |
| surface waves |
seismic waves that travel along Earth's outer layer |
| body waves |
waves that travel through Earth's interior; include primary and secondary waves |
| primary wave |
fastest body wave; compressional |
| secondary wave |
slower than a primary wave; move particles perpendicular to the direction of wave |
| moment magnitude |
measurement for earthquakes used by scientists; estimates the energy released by earthquakes |
| Richter Scale |
magnitude scale based on the amplitude of the largest seismic wave; used in most news reports |
| tsunami |
Japanese word for seismic sea wave |
| intensity |
measure of damage to the surface and effects on humans |
| three |
number of seismic stations required to locate an epicenter |
| foreshocks |
small earthquakes that preceed a major earthquake |
Science Vocab 147928
