Chapter 5 Earth Science

________ have the highest velocities

Primary waves (P-waves)

Which is the zone of the greatest amount of seismic activity?

The circum-Pacific belt

What is the difference between the epicenter and the focus of an earthquake?

The epicenter is the surface location of an earthquake and is located above the focus.

How do the inner core and outer core differ?

The inner core is solid, whereas the outer core is liquid.

Major earthquakes are often followed by somewhat smaller events known as ________.

aftershocks

Most earthquakes occur along ________ plate boundaries.

convergent

An earthquake magnitude scale is a measure of ________.

energy released

S waves can travel through ________.

solid media only

Which type(s) of seismic waves tend(s) to cause the greatest destruction to buildings?

surface waves

A tsunami can occur ________.

when an earthquake occurs in the seafloor like along an oceanic plate boundary