GEOLOGY

EARTH SCIENCE

EARTHQUAKES

Question [CLICK ON ANY CHOICE TO KNOW THE RIGHT ANSWER]
The crack along which rocks break and an earthquake occurs is a ____
A
focus
B
fault
C
epicenter
D
hypocenter
Explanation: 

Detailed explanation-1: -Faults are cracks in the earth’s crust along which there is movement. These can be massive (the boundaries between the tectonic plates themselves) or very small. If tension builds up along a fault and then is suddenly released, the result is an earthquake.

Detailed explanation-2: -Earthquakes are usually caused when underground rock suddenly breaks and there is rapid motion along a fault. This sudden release of energy causes the seismic waves that make the ground shake.

Detailed explanation-3: -A fault is a fracture or zone of fractures between two blocks of rock. Faults allow the blocks to move relative to each other. This movement may occur rapidly, in the form of an earthquake-or may occur slowly, in the form of creep. Faults may range in length from a few millimeters to thousands of kilometers.

Detailed explanation-4: -Earthquakes are the result of sudden movement along faults within the Earth. The movement releases stored-up ‘elastic strain’ energy in the form of seismic waves, which propagate through the Earth and cause the ground surface to shake.

Detailed explanation-5: -As time goes by, the movement of the plates causes the rocks around the fault to bend and stretch. That, in turn, causes the rocks to store energy, like compressed springs. Eventually, friction across the fault isn’t able to hold the rocks back, and a crack is created across the fault as it begins to slip.

There is 1 question to complete.