15 Questions
What causes an earthquake?
Release of energy within the earth's crust
How do scientists measure the behavior of earthquake waves?
Using delicate instruments called seismographs
Where do most earthquakes occur?
Along boundaries between different tectonic plates
What primarily drives the motion of tectonic plates?
Convection within the mantle
Why can earthquakes occur anywhere on the surface of the Earth?
Because they occur within the crust of the Earth
What type of stress is generated by rock pulling apart from each other?
Tensional stress
What is the main trigger for volcanic earthquakes?
Volcanic activity
What is the stage where the fault suddenly ruptures and releases the stored energy?
Earthquake
What is the stress generated by two objects sliding past and against each other?
Shear stress
Which type of earthquake is caused by an explosion in an underground cave or mine?
Collapse
What is the geographic location and depth where an earthquake starts called?
Focus
Which type of seismic wave causes elliptical shaking of the Earth and gets weaker with depth?
Rayleigh waves
What type of fault experiences vertical motion with one block moving upwards relative to the other?
Thrust or Reverse Faults
What is the most common cause of tectonic earthquakes?
Plate tectonics and faults in the earth's crust
Which seismic wave type arrives at seismographs first and oscillates in the direction the wave travels?
Primary (P-) waves
Learn about the definition, causes and effects of earthquakes, as well as how scientists measure and study them. Gain insight into the mechanical waves and energy propagation within the earth's crust.
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