An earthquake is a great shaking of earth’s surface. The quake is caused by the movement of the outer layer of the earth.
Although the Earth looks like a solid place from the surface, it is actually extremely active just below the surface.
Earthquake Vocabulary Words with Definitions
Following are common words related to earthquake along with their explanation:
- Active fault
an active fault is one that has moved once or more times in the past 10,000 years and therefore likely to move sometime in the future.
- Aftershocks
smaller earthquakes that occur after the main earthquake in the same place as the main shock.
- Amplitude
the size of the wiggles on an earthquake recording.
- Body waves
seismic vibrations that move through the Earth’s interior.
- Deformation
deformation is a change to the original shape of material and in earthquakes this is due to stress and strain.
- Displacement
displacement is a change in the initial reference point or later position.
- Earthquake
shaking or slipping movement of the earth, followed by seismic waves and vibrations.
- Epicenter
the point on the Earth’s surface vertically above the focus of an earthquake, i.e. directly above the true center of the seismic disturbance from which the shock waves of an earthquake seem to radiate.
- Fault plane
the planar / flat surface along which two blocks of the earth’s crust suddenly slip past one another during an earthquake
- Focus
the point inside the Earth where the rock breaks off and pressure is released, The focus generally occurs 45 miles below the ground.
- Hypocenter
the location below the Earth surface where an earthquake rupture begins.
- Magnitude
a number that categorizes the amount of energy released during an earthquake.
- Main shock
the largest, main earthquake.
- Richter scale
the magnitude of seismic energy released during an earthquake is measured by the Richter scale.
- Seismicity
the intensity, frequency, and distribution of earthquakes in a specific area.
- Seismograms
plot of time vs. intensity of motion, First waves to arrive at seismograph are P waves, 2nd are S waves, and 3rd are Surface waves. Arrival of waves relates to velocity with which they are transmitted through the earth’s crust.
- Seismology
the branch of geology that studies earthquakes and seismic waves that move through and around the earth as well as their effects.
- surface waves
seismic vibrations that move along the outer layer of the Earth’s surface.
Amplification
Earthquake levels may be increased, or amplified, by focusing on the seismic forces caused by the geometry of the sediment velocity structure.
Amplitude
The amplitude range of earthquake waves is good for most earthquakes
Arc
A series of volcanic arc sometimes occur on land when the ocean floor collides with a continental plate and slides beneath it.
Seismic Waves
Earthquakes carry energy from earthquakes
Compressional Stress
Pressure that squeezes something
Compressional Wave
The seismic body wave moves the earth forward and forward in the same direction and in the opposite direction as the wave goes in the opposite direction.
Core
The innermost part of the earth
Creep
Slow, continuous or minimal movement that occurs in error due to continuous tectonic transformation
Caldera
Severe stress formed when a volcano erupted and collapsed
Convection Current
A process that involves the movement of energy from one place to another
Crater
Vessel-induced stress produced by the impact of a meteorite, volcanic activity, or eruption
Crust
Covered by a solid outer shell of a rocky planet, a dwarf planet, or a natural satellite.
Fault
Fracture of the crust when the rock movement occurs
Fossils
Preserved fossils of plants and animals were buried in the ground, such as sand and mud, under the sea, in lakes and ancient rivers.
Inner Core
The fourth layer inside the Earth
Lithosphere
The outer part of the Earth with stones
Mantle
The coat is a layer inside the body of the planet bound below the spine and above the crust
Normal Fault
A curved fracture where the blocks usually move straight upwards
Outer Core
Liquid layer
Plate
A large, irregularly shaped rock, common in both continental and oceanic lithosphere.
Plate Tectonics
Scientific theory explaining how large earth species are created due to the movement of the underground earth.
Primary Waves
Pressure waves are naturally longitudinal.
Relative Dating
The science of determining the related sequence of past events
Reverse Fault
The opposite of a common mistake
Seafloor Spreading
The formation of the earth in which tectonic plates — the largest slabs of the Earth’s atmosphere — split apart
Secondary Waves
Make the rocks they pass change. These waves are the second most moving waves in the world
Seismograph
A device used by scientists to measure the magnitude of an earthquake
Stress
The force that causes the rock to change shape
Strike-Slip Fault
Passing error, wrench error, or back error
Tsunami
A huge, fast-moving wave caused by earthquakes beneath the ocean floor
Quick Links
| Environment Vocabulary Words for Kids | Words to Describe Planet Earth |