earthquakes Flashcards
1
Q
earthquake
A
A sudden and short period of intense ground shaking caused by the movement of tectonic plates.
2
Q
focus
A
The point in the Earth’s crust where the earthquake starts
3
Q
epicentre
A
The point on the Earth’s surface directly above the focus
4
Q
seismic waves
A
A wave of energy given out by an earthquake that shakes everything
5
Q
seismometer
A
An instrument that records the vibrations during an earthquake.
6
Q
aftershocks
A
Small earthquakes after the main one
7
Q
Richter scale
A
A scale used to measure the energy released by an earthquake (magnitude)
8
Q
Mercalli scale
A
A scale used to measure the amount of damage caused by an earthquake.
