Earthquakes!

Front

What is an earthquake?

Back

An earthquake is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves.

Front

What are seismic waves?

Back

Seismic waves are waves of energy that travel through the Earth, and they are produced by earthquakes or other geological activity.

Front

What are P waves?

Back

P waves, or primary waves, are seismic waves that compress and expand the material they move through. They are the fastest seismic waves and can travel through solids, liquids, and gases.

Front

What are S waves?

Back

S waves, or secondary waves, are seismic waves that move the ground up and down or side to side. They can only travel through solids.

Front

What are surface waves?

Back

Surface waves are seismic waves that travel along the Earth's surface. They are slower than P and S waves and usually cause the most damage during an earthquake.

Front

What is an aftershock?

Back

An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that occurs after a larger earthquake in the same area.

Front

What is the Richter scale?

Back

The Richter scale is a logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake based on the amplitude of seismic waves.

Front

What is the focus of an earthquake?

Back

The focus is the point within the Earth where an earthquake originates, and it is the location where the seismic waves first begin.

Front

What is the epicenter of an earthquake?

Back

The epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.

Front

What is liquefaction?

Back

Liquefaction is a phenomenon where saturated soil loses its strength and stiffness in response to an applied stress, often during an earthquake.