Chapter 11 Flashcards
Vibration of Earth produced by the rapid release of energy
Earthquake
The sudden release of stored strain in rocks that results in movement along a fault
Elastic rebound
The location on Earths surface that lies directly above the focus of an earthquake
Epicenter
A break in a rock mass along which movement has occurred
Fault
Gradual displacement along a fault. Such activity occurs relatively smoothly and with little noticeable seismic activity.
Fault creep
The zone within Earth where rock displacement produces an earthquake
Focus
Small earthquakes that often precede a major earthquake
Foreshock
A measure of the degree of earthquake shaking at a given locale, based on the amount of damage
Intensity
The transformation of a stable soil into a fluid that is often unable to support buildings or other structures
Liquefaction
An estimate of the total amount of energy released during an earthquake, based on seismic records
Magnitude
A more precise measure of earthquake magnitude than the Richter scale that is derived from the amount of displacement that occurs along a fault zone
Moment magnitude
A type of seismic wave that involves alternating compression and expansion of the material through which it passes
Primary (P) waves
a scale of earthquake magnitude based on the amplitude of the largest seismic wave
Richter scale
A seismic wave that involves oscillation perpendicular to the direction propagation
Secondary (S) waves
A segment of an active fault zone that has not experienced a major earthquake over a span when most other segments have. Such segments are probable sites for future major earthquakes
Seismic gaps
