Earthquakes!

Learn the science of earthquakes, from fault lines to seismic waves!

Vibration caused by the breaking of rock fault earthquake stress elastic limit A force exerted when one body presses on, pulls on, pushes against, or tends to compress or twist another body. fault earthquake stress elastic limit The point which an object can bend or change shape before it breaks. elastic limit stress earthquake fault The surface along which rocks move when they break. stress fault elastic limit earthquake Put the events in order for an earthquake to occur. happens first As rocks along a fault move, they can catch on each other. happens second Forces within Earth keep driving the rocks, and stress builds up. happens third When the rocks are stressed beyond their elastic limit, they break happens fourth An earthquake results from the vibrations Match the force type with the definition. Tension pulls rocks apart Shear causes rocks of either side of a fault to slide past each other. Compression pushes rocks together Match the term to the correct definition. seismic wave a wave generated by an earthquake focus the point below the Earth’s surface where the rock breaks and an earthquake begins. epicenter the point on the surface of the Earth above the focus wave movement that carries energy through matter or space Label the focus and epicenter in the diagram. focus epicenter Match up the types of Earthquake waves. Primary waves The first waves to arrive during an earthquake, compressional waves. Surface waves The most dangerous waves in an earthquake, they do the most damage. Secondary waves The second waves to arrive during an earthquake, transverse waves.