Earthquake Vocabulary
Crust - the top layer of the earth, which consists of solid rock. Both the continental crust and oceanic crust belong to the crust.
Epicenter - the point above the focus of the earthquake.
Focus - the source of the earthquake inside the earth, where the rock first begins to break.
Intensity- the amount of shaking and type of damage at a particular location. Intensity can
be greater or weaker depending on the distance from the epicenter.
Lithosphere - the top layer of the earth, which is made of solid rock. It is both the crust and the upper mantle.
Magnitude - the amount of energy released from the earthquake.
Mercalli Scale - a measure of the strength of an earthquake. It measures how intense an earthquake is.
Richter Scale - an objective measure of the strength of an earthquake. It measures the degree of magnitude.
Seismic Waves - vibrations that move through the earth. They travel through solids and liquids.
Seismogram - a written recording of the earth's vibrations that are produced by a seismograph.
Seismograph - an instrument that records the intensity of earthquake waves on marked graph paper.
Seismologist - someone who studies earthquakes.
Tectonic Plates - sections of the lithosphere of the earth. They fit together like a puzzle and are always moving slowly.
Epicenter - the point above the focus of the earthquake.
Focus - the source of the earthquake inside the earth, where the rock first begins to break.
Intensity- the amount of shaking and type of damage at a particular location. Intensity can
be greater or weaker depending on the distance from the epicenter.
Lithosphere - the top layer of the earth, which is made of solid rock. It is both the crust and the upper mantle.
Magnitude - the amount of energy released from the earthquake.
Mercalli Scale - a measure of the strength of an earthquake. It measures how intense an earthquake is.
Richter Scale - an objective measure of the strength of an earthquake. It measures the degree of magnitude.
Seismic Waves - vibrations that move through the earth. They travel through solids and liquids.
Seismogram - a written recording of the earth's vibrations that are produced by a seismograph.
Seismograph - an instrument that records the intensity of earthquake waves on marked graph paper.
Seismologist - someone who studies earthquakes.
Tectonic Plates - sections of the lithosphere of the earth. They fit together like a puzzle and are always moving slowly.