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Module 3
Violent Earth
18
Geology
Undergraduate 3
09/15/2008

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Cards

Term
Elastic Rebound
Definition
The theory applied to most earth quakes in which movement on two sides of a fault leads to bending of the rocks until they slip to release the bending strain during an earthquake.
Term
Seismic wave P
Definition
The compressional seismic wave that shakes back and forth along the direction of wave travel.
Term
Seismic wave S
Definition
The seismic shear wave that shakes back and forth perpendicular to the direction of wave travel. s waves do not pass though liquids.
Term
Surface waves
Definition
the seismic wave that travels along and near Earth's surface. These waves include Rayleigh waves (which move in a vertical, elliptical motion) and Love waves (which move with horizontal perpendicular to the direction of the wave travel).
Term
Focus
Definition
The initial rupture point on a fault.
Term
Epicenter
Definition
The point on Earth's surface directly above the focus.
Term
Seismology
Definition
The study of seismic waves
Term
Paleoseismology
Definition
The study of former earthquakes from examination of offset rock layers below the ground surface.
Term
Magnitude
Definition
The relative size of an earthquake, recorded as the amplitude of shaking on a seismograph. The range of amplitudes is so large that the number (less than 10)is recorded as a logarithm of the amplitude. Different magnitudes are based on amplitudes of different seismic waves.
Term
Intensity
Definition
The severity of an earthquake in terms of the damage that it inflicts on structures and people. It is normally written as a Roman numeral on a scale of I to XII.
Term
Reverse fault
Definition
Faults (generally, steeply inclined) that have the upper block of rock moving up compared with the lower block.
Term
Normal fault
Definition
A fault (generally, steeply inclined) that has the upper block of rock moving down compared with the lower block.
Term
Strike-Slip Fault
Definition
A fault (generally vertical) which has relative lateral movement of the two sides
Term
Thrust fault
Definition
Fault (generally, gently inclined) that has the upper block of rock moving up compared with the lower block
Term
Mercalli Intensity Scale
Definition
see intensity scale
Term
Richter vs. Movement Magnitude
Definition
The scale of earthquake magnitude invented by Charles Richter.
Term
Stress
Definition
The forces on a body. These can be compressional, extensional, or shear.
Term
Strain
Definition
Change in size or shape of a body in response to an imposed stress.
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