Earthquakes
Well, looks like you found my earthquakes page. Learning about earthquakes gives you knowledge on what is going on beneath us deep down in the mantle and in the crust. In this section you will learn about seismic waves, faults, and more. If you click to the earthquake drop down menu you will notice that I have also given you some information about tsunamis to.
What is an Earthquake?: An earthquake (also known as a quake and tremor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves.
How are Earthquakes Measured?: Seismometers are instruments that measure motions of the ground, including those of seismic waves generated by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other seismic sources. They locate and measure the size of the earthquake on a scale from 1-10.
What is an Epicenter and a Focus?: The focus of an earthquake is where the seismic waves originated from. The epicenter is the place directly above the place where the fault begins to rupture.
What is an Earthquake?: An earthquake (also known as a quake and tremor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves.
How are Earthquakes Measured?: Seismometers are instruments that measure motions of the ground, including those of seismic waves generated by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and other seismic sources. They locate and measure the size of the earthquake on a scale from 1-10.
What is an Epicenter and a Focus?: The focus of an earthquake is where the seismic waves originated from. The epicenter is the place directly above the place where the fault begins to rupture.
Seismic Waves:
Seismic waves are energy waves that are released by an earthquake or explosion. When an earthquake occurs three types of seismic waves are released.
Primary Waves: Primary waves also called P waves travel the fastest of all three types of seismic waves. P waves can pass through solids, liquids, and gases. Primary waves cause light vibrations, P waves are warnings that an earthquake is happening.
Secondary Waves: Secondary waves also called S waves travel more slowly then P waves. S waves can only pass through solids, but they cause more damage then P waves. These waves would shake buildings.
Surface Waves: These waves are the slowest moving waves but they cost the most damage. The rolling motion breaks up roads and causes skyscrapers and buildings to crash.
Primary Waves: Primary waves also called P waves travel the fastest of all three types of seismic waves. P waves can pass through solids, liquids, and gases. Primary waves cause light vibrations, P waves are warnings that an earthquake is happening.
Secondary Waves: Secondary waves also called S waves travel more slowly then P waves. S waves can only pass through solids, but they cause more damage then P waves. These waves would shake buildings.
Surface Waves: These waves are the slowest moving waves but they cost the most damage. The rolling motion breaks up roads and causes skyscrapers and buildings to crash.
Faults:
There are three types of faults:
First there is the Normal Fault, tension is something that can cause stretching. In places where the plates are divergent, the tension can pull rocks apart and create a normal fault. In a normal fault, rock above the fault moves downwards.
Next there is the Reverse Fault. Compression is a force or stress that squeezes. In places where the rock is squeezed by the tectonic plates, the compression can cause rocks to break. Think of a ruler, if you bend the ruler too much the force will snap it in two. In a reverse fault, rock above the fault is pushed upwards, and over rock below is the fault.
The last fault is the Transform Fault (Strike Slip). Some plates move sideways right past each other. As the plates try to move, the forces build up and causes the rock to break, until there is an earthquake.
First there is the Normal Fault, tension is something that can cause stretching. In places where the plates are divergent, the tension can pull rocks apart and create a normal fault. In a normal fault, rock above the fault moves downwards.
Next there is the Reverse Fault. Compression is a force or stress that squeezes. In places where the rock is squeezed by the tectonic plates, the compression can cause rocks to break. Think of a ruler, if you bend the ruler too much the force will snap it in two. In a reverse fault, rock above the fault is pushed upwards, and over rock below is the fault.
The last fault is the Transform Fault (Strike Slip). Some plates move sideways right past each other. As the plates try to move, the forces build up and causes the rock to break, until there is an earthquake.