Final Flashcards
seismology
The study of earthquakes
elastic rebound
The sudden return of elastically deformed rock to its undeformed shape
Richter Scale
Used to measure the strength of earthquakes with magnitude
Mercalli Scale
Used to measure earthquakes using intensity
deformation
The bending, tilting, and breaking of the Earth’s crust; the change in the shape of rock in response to stress
seismic waves
A wave of energy that travels through the Earth, away from an earthquake in all directions
earthquake hazard
The measurement of how likely an area is to have damaging earthquakes in the future
seismograph
An instrument that records vibrations in the ground and determines the location and strength of an earthquake
retrofitting
The process of making older structures more earthquake resistant
Where would you find both the epicenter and the focus of an earthquake?
The point on the Earth’s surface directly above an earthquake’s starting point, the focus, The focus is the point along a fault at which at the first motion of an earthquake occurs
P waves
P waves (primary waves) can travel through solids, liquids, and gases. They are first detected waves of an earthquake to be detected. They cause the particles of rock to move in a back-and-forth motion
S waves
S waves (shear waves) cannot travel through parts of the Earth that are completely liquid. They are the second-fastest seismic waves to be detected. They cause the particles of rock to move in a side-to-side motion
Earthquake safety rules
Indoors- Crouch or lie face down under a table or desk in the center of the room
Outdoors- Lie face down away from buildings
In a car- Stop the car and remain inside
volcano
A vent or fissure in the Earth’s surface through which magma and gases are expelled
hot spots
A volcanically active area of the Earth’s surface far from a tectonic plate boundary
magma
Molten rock
caldera
A large, semicircular depression that forms when the magma chamber below a volcano partially empties and causes the ground above to sink
crater
A funnel-shaped pit near the top of the central vent of a volcano
viscosity
The consistency of lava (low = runny & high = thick)
Where do volcanoes usually form?
Most volcanoes form on tectonic plate boundaries because this is where magma forms and rises to the surface
What factors are considered when predicting volcanic eruptions?
The frequency and type of earthquakes associated with the volcano as well as the changes in slope, changes in the gases released, and changes in the volcano’s surface temperature
volcanic blocks
largest pieces of pyroclastic material and are pieces of solid rock erupted from a volcano
volcanic bombs
large blobs of magma that harden in the air
lapilli
pebblelike bits of magma that hardened before they hit the ground
volcanic ash
makes up most of the pyroclastic material in an explosion, and forms when the gases in stiff magma expand rapidly and the walls of the gas bubbles explode into tiny, glasslike silvers
Active volcano
currently erupting or show signs of erupting in the near future
Dormant volcano
are currently not erupting, but the record of past eruptions suggests that they may erupt again
Extinct volcano
have not erupted in recorded history and probably never
will erupt again