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Earthquake Waves
Earth science terms of earthquakes and seismic waves
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| A vibration of the earth produced by the rapid release of energy | Earthquake |
| The point within the earth where the earthquake starts | Focus |
| The location on the surface directly above the focus | Epicenter |
| The rocks/plates snap back into an unbent position | Elastic Rebound |
| The movement that follows a major earthquake(smaller earthquakes) | Aftershock |
| Small earthquakes before a major earthquake | Foreshock |
| Measures the amount of shaking in a particular location...farther from focus=less! | Intensity |
| Measures the size of the earthquake at its source....no distance factor | Magnitude |
| Measures intensity based on observed effects of quake on earths surface,humans, and manmade structures | Mercalli Scale |
| Measures earthquake energy from seismic waves using a seismograph | Richter Scale |
| Instrument for recording earthquakes | Seismograph |
| The data output (recording) of a seismograph | Seismogram |
| Disturbance that transmits energy | Wave |
| Wave particles vibrate perpendicular to wave direction | Transverse Wave |
| Wave particles vibrate parallel to wave direction | Longitude Wave |
| Material a wave moves through | Medium |
| Upward displacement of a wave | Crest |
| Downward displacement of a wave | Trough |
| Height of a wave | Amplitude |
| Distance between consecutive waves | Wavelength |
| Primary body wave (earthquake); fastest; least damaging; longitudinal wave | P Waves |
| Secondary body wave; medium speed; medium damage; Transverse wave | S Waves |
| Wave combo of both S and P waves and same action; slowest and most damaging | Surface Waves |
| Use delay to find distance to epicenter | Travel-Time Graph |
| Locating the epicenter | Triangulation |