Earthquakes
What is an earthquake
A sudden release of energy that makes the ground tremble
What is a volcano?
An opening in Earth's crust where magma escapes as lava, ash, or gas.
What creates Earth's solid surface?
Oceanic and continental crust.
Define Magma.
Molten rock inside Earth.
What tool records ground shaking?
Where do earthquakes most commonly occur?
Near plate boundaries along fault lines.
What determines a volcano's behavior?
The type of magma feeding it.
What causes tectonic plates to move?
Convection currents in the mantle caused by heat from Earth's core.
Define lava.
Molten rock on Earth's surface.
Name one earthquake measurement scale.
Richter Scale or Mercalli Scale.
What causes destructrion during an earthquake?
Shock waves radiating from the hypocenter.
What type of volcano erupts from a narrow slit?
A fissure volcano.
What happens when tectonic plates stretch?
They thin and can break, forming new crust.
Define subduction zone.
An area where one tectonic plate slips beneath another.
What causes mountain ranges to form?
Colliding tectonic plates.
What are the two scales used to measure earthquakes?
The Richter Scale and Mercalli Scale.
What type of volcano oozes molten rock over a large area?
A shield volcano.
They buckle and form mountain ranges.
Define seismic wave.
An underground shockwave traveling outward from an earthquake.
How do geologist track tectonic plate movement?
Using lasers and satellites.
Why is an earthquake prediction difficult?
There are not always warning signs, and fault pressure release is hard to predict.
What happens during a volcanic eruption? Be specific.
Pressure drops causing lava, ash, and gas to escape.
What is one difference between oceanic and continental crust?
Oceanic crust is constantly recycled, while continental crust is thicker and older.
Define Richter scale.
A scale measuring earthquake strength from 1-10 based on vibrations.
Define spreading ridge.
An underwater ridge where magma rises and spreads sideways.