EESA06H3 Chapter 3: Earthquakes
Document Summary
Earthquake: trembling or shaking of ground caused by sudden release of energy in rocks beneath. Earth acivity creates stress rock eventually breaks waves of energy released and sent out. Seismic waves: waves of energy produced by an earthquake. Causes ground to tremble and shake during earthquake. Elastic rebound theory: sudden release of progressively stored elasic strain energy in rocks, causing movement along a fault. Exising faults are weak needs large amnt of stress for earthquake to occur needs small amnt of stress. Rocks below are ducile b/c in presence of increased temp and pressure. Minerals transform into dense forms as they subduct. Dehydraion of water-containing serpenine and its conversion into glass. Focus (hypocentre): point w/in earth where seismic waves irst originate. Where rupture begins and spreads rapidly along fault plane. Epicentre: point on earth"s surface directly above focus. 2 types of seismic waves generated during earthquakes: Body waves travel through earth"s interior, spreading outward from focus in all direcions.
