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Inside Earth 2.2
Ch. 2:2 Measuring Earthquakes
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| focus | The point beneath Earth’s surface where rock breaks under stress and causes an earthquake. |
| epicenter | Point on the Earth’s surface directly above the earthquake’s focus |
| seismic waves | vibrations that travel through the earth carrying the energy released during an earthquake |
| P-Wave | (P=Primary) A type of seismic wave that compresses and expands the ground. It is the fastest seismic wave. |
| S-wave | (S=Secondary) A type of seismic wave that moves the ground up and down or side to side. S-waves are slower than P-waves and cannot travel through a liquid. |
| surface wave | Type of seismic wave that forms when P and S waves reach Earth’s surface. Causes the most damage. |
| seismograph | A machine that records ground movements caused by seismic waves as they move through the Earth. |
| magnitude | Measurement of earthquake strength based on seismic waves and movement along faults. |
| Mercalli Scale | A scale that rates earthquakes according to how much damage they cause at a particular place. |
| Richter Scale | *Scale for measuring earthquakes, |
| moment magnitude scale | A rating system that estimates the total energy released by an earthquake. Used today. |