Earthquakes and Faults Overview

<p>Size of the fault, movement along the fault, and rock stiffness (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>A large ocean wave caused by vertical movements of the sea floor (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Normal Fault (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>By horizontal and vertical compression (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Secondary Waves (S waves) (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>The point where the initial fault rupture occurs beneath the surface (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Horizontal movement in opposite directions (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Primary Waves (P waves) (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>They can cause side-to-side and vertical ground motion (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

<p>Normal Fault (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

A fracture or system of fractures along which Earth moves.

A fault where the hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall. It results from tensional forces stretching the crust.

A fault where the hanging wall moves up relative to the footwall. It occurs due to compressional forces squeezing the crust.

A fault where the movement is primarily horizontal and in opposite directions. It occurs due to shear forces.

Vibrations of the ground generated during an earthquake.

The point where the initial fault rupture occurs, usually below Earth's surface.

The first type of seismic wave, they travel faster than S-waves and compress and push the rocks in the direction of wave travel.

The second type of seismic wave, they travel slower than P-waves and cause rocks to move perpendicular to the wave direction.

A seismogram is a visual record of seismic waves, created by a seismometer, an instrument that detects and records ground motion, It's like a graph showing the movement of the ground during an earthquake. By analyzing the seismogram, scientists can determine the type of seismic waves, their arrival times, and the earthquake's intensity.

The Richter scale is a numerical rating system that measures the magnitude (or energy released) of an earthquake. The scale uses numbers to classify earthquakes based on the amplitude (height) of the largest seismic wave recorded on a seismograph.

The moment magnitude scale is another way to measure the energy released by an earthquake. Unlike the Richter scale, it considers the size of the fault rupture, the amount of movement along the fault, and the rigidity of the rocks involved. This makes it more accurate for measuring large earthquakes.

Soil liquefaction occurs when the ground, particularly saturated sandy soil, becomes saturated with water and loses its strength due to shaking from an earthquake. The ground can behave more like liquid, leading to building collapse and significant damage.