Earthquakes Flashcards
What is an earthquake?
An earthquake is the shaking of the Earth’s surface caused by the sudden release of energy in the Earth’s lithosphere.
True or False: Earthquakes can only occur in areas near tectonic plate boundaries.
False
What is the point on the Earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake called?
Epicenter
Fill in the blank: The scale used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake is called the ____ scale.
Richter
What are tectonic plates?
Tectonic plates are large sections of the Earth’s lithosphere that move and interact with one another.
True or False: Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur in the same area after a larger earthquake.
True
What is a seismograph?
A seismograph is an instrument that detects and records the vibrations caused by earthquakes.
Fill in the blank: The ____ is the underground point where an earthquake originates.
Focus
Fill in the blank: The area where two tectonic plates meet is known as a ____.
Plate boundary
What is a tsunami?
A tsunami is a series of ocean waves caused by large disturbances such as underwater earthquakes.
True or False: All earthquakes are destructive.
False
What is the primary cause of most earthquakes?
The movement of tectonic plates
What is an example of a fault line
San Andreas fault line
What are the main reasons of an earthquake to happen
Plates colliding, slide past each other
Name 3 locations that earthquakes are in
Pacific ring of fire ( Japan,California), Himalayas (Nepal, China), Mediterranean (Turkey, Italy)
