Earthquake Earthquake Vocabulary Part 2Vocabulary Part 2

Crust Crust

The outside layer of the The outside layer of the earth; the coolest and least earth; the coolest and least dense layer of the earth.dense layer of the earth.

Mantle Mantle

The middle layer of the The middle layer of the earth between the crust and earth between the crust and the core. It makes up about the core. It makes up about 83% of the earth’s interior.83% of the earth’s interior.

Asthenosphere Asthenosphere

The layer of the mantle that The layer of the mantle that lies directly below the lies directly below the lithosphere (crust) and lithosphere (crust) and

flows, like taffy.flows, like taffy.

Core Core

The earth’s innermost layers, The earth’s innermost layers, consisting of a liquid iron outer consisting of a liquid iron outer

core and a solid iron-nickel core and a solid iron-nickel inner core.inner core.

Atmosphere Atmosphere

The layer of gasses which The layer of gasses which surrounds the earth’s surrounds the earth’s

surface and contains the surface and contains the clouds.clouds.

HydrosphereHydrosphere

The part of the earth’s The part of the earth’s surface covered by water.surface covered by water.

Lithosphere Lithosphere

The cool, solid outer shell of The cool, solid outer shell of the earth. It consists of the the earth. It consists of the

crust and the rigid uppermost crust and the rigid uppermost part of the mantle and is part of the mantle and is

broken up into segments, or broken up into segments, or platesplates

Ring of Fire Ring of Fire

A zone of intense A zone of intense earthquake and volcanic earthquake and volcanic activity that encircles the activity that encircles the Pacific Ocean basin; also Pacific Ocean basin; also called the Circum –Pacific called the Circum –Pacific

Belt.Belt.

Magnitude Magnitude

A measure of the total A measure of the total amount of energy released amount of energy released

at the source of the at the source of the earthquake.earthquake.

Intensity Intensity

A measure of the damage A measure of the damage done by an earthquake. done by an earthquake.

Determined on the basis of Determined on the basis of the earthquake’s effect on the earthquake’s effect on people, structures, and the people, structures, and the

natural environment.natural environment.

Mid-Atlantic Ridge Mid-Atlantic Ridge

A zone of intense A zone of intense earthquake and volcanic earthquake and volcanic

activity that runs down the activity that runs down the middle of the Atlantic middle of the Atlantic

Ocean.Ocean.

Mid-ocean ridge Mid-ocean ridge

A mountain-like landform A mountain-like landform that develops when plates that develops when plates separate and new ocean separate and new ocean

lithosphere forms.lithosphere forms.

Plate boundaryPlate boundary

A place where pieces of the A place where pieces of the broken lithosphere meet.broken lithosphere meet.

3 types of plate boundaries 3 types of plate boundaries

Spreading Spreading

Colliding Colliding

Sliding Sliding

P-wave P-wave

A primary (compressional) A primary (compressional) earthquake wave that travels earthquake wave that travels through the body of the earth; through the body of the earth; so named because it is the first so named because it is the first wave to reach a seismograph wave to reach a seismograph station during an earthquake.station during an earthquake.

S-wave S-wave

A secondary earthquake wave; A secondary earthquake wave; so named because it travels so named because it travels slower than a primary wave slower than a primary wave and is the second wave to and is the second wave to

reach the seismograph station reach the seismograph station after an earthquake.after an earthquake.