EESA06H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Divergent Boundary, Subsidence, Subduction
Document Summary
Earthquake: a trembling or shaking of the ground caused by the sudden release of energy stored in the rocks beneath earth"s surface. Forces in the earth may add stress on the rock. May bend or change in shape (strain) Will send out energy waves throughout the earth. Seismic waves: the waves of energy produced by an earthquake. Elastic rebound theory: the sudden release of progressively stored elastic strain energy in rocks, causing movement along a fault. Energy build up and rock breaks causing and earthquake. Movements of rocks along fault can be horizontal, vertical or both. Limit to depth where faults can occur due to less brittle rocks. Most earthquakes associated with movement on faults. Focus (hypocentre): point within the earth where seismic waves first originate. Point of initial breakage and movement on a fault. Rupture begins at focus and spreads along fault plane. Epicentre: point on the earth"s surface directly above the focus.
