Earthquake Waves & Earth's Interior

Question 0

What are earthquake waves called ?

Answer 0

Seismic

Question 1

What do earthquakes release into the earth?

Answer 1

Energy

Question 2

What are the 3 important types of Earthquake waves?

Answer 2

P waves, S waves, and surface waves

Question 3

Focus

Answer 3

The starting point of the earthquake, from which the energy is released in the form of seismic waves

Question 4

Epicenter

Answer 4

The location on Earth’s land or water surface directly above the focus

Question 5

Fault

Answer 5

A crack in a mass of rock or soil along which there has been shifting or movement of the rock or soil layers on each side of the crack

Question 6

Seismic waves

Answer 6

The energy that is given off by an earthquake

Question 7

What happens when an earthquake occurs?

Answer 7

Seismic waves are released at the focus

Question 8

P-waves

Answer 8

“Primary” waves - always arrives at a seismic station first

Travels the fastest through Earth

Compressional waves act like slinky

Will pass through solid , liquids, gases.

Question 9

S-waves

Answer 9

“Secondary” waves always arrive at a seismic section 2nd

Travel slower than p-waves

Shear waves- act like a wave does in water

Will pass through solids only these waves stop when they hit liquid/gas

Question 10

Surface waves

Answer 10

Produced when p-wave or s-wave reach Earth’s surface

Travel slower than the other 2 types

These are the waves that cause the shaking felt by people

Only travel on the surface NOT through earth’s interior

Question 11

Earthquake

Answer 11

A natural rapid shaking of the lithosphere caused by the release of energy stores in rocks

Question 12

Lithosphere

Answer 12

First layer on the earth

1)crust 2) rigid mantle

Question 13

Asthenosphere

Answer 13

After lithosphere
2nd layer
Partially melted solid

Question 14

Stiffer mantle

Answer 14

Third

Solid

Question 15

Outer core

Answer 15

4th
Made out of iron and nickel
Liquid

Question 16

Inner core

Answer 16

5th
Iron and nickel
Solid

Question 17

What happens the deeper you get into the earth?

Answer 17

Density, pressure, & temp increases

Question 18

MOHO

Answer 18

Boundary between crust and rigid mantle

Question 19

Seismic station

Answer 19

Location of where the earthquake occurs

Question 20

Shadow zones

Answer 20

Shadow zone: Areas on the surface of the Earth where no P-waves or S-waves from a particular earthquake are received.

Shadow zones are caused by the refraction (bending) of waves as they pass through the different layers of the Earth. The shadow zones for each earthquake depend on its location.
Helpful rule: If no P or S waves - the reason is a shadow zone.
If P-waves but no S-waves - the reason is S-waves were blocked by the outer core of the Earth.