|
 focus | the point inside the Earth where an earthquake begins |
| convergent boundary | the boundary formed by the collision of two lithospheric plates(mountain building) |
| divergent boundary | Boundary created when two plates pull apart from each other, resulting in an opening between the plates where magma rises and cools (creates new crust) |
| epicenter | the point on the earth's surface that corresponds to the location in the earth where an earthquake begins |
| lithosphere | the rigid outer layer of earth, including the crust and upper mantle |
| magnitude | The measurement of an Earthquake's strength based on seismic waves and movement along faults |
| P-waves | the fastest type of seismic wave; can travel through solids, liquids, and gases; also known as pressure waves and primary waves |
| S-waves | called secondary waves or shear waves, travels slower, side-to-side, only through solids, not liquids or gases |
| plate tectonics | the theory that pieces of Earth's lithosphere are in constant motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle |
| subduction | a process by which mountains can form ( oceanic plate dives beneath a continental plate) |
| transform boundary | boundary formed where two lithpospheric plates slide past each other |
| fault | a crack in the earth's crust along which rock moves |
| folding | bending or curving of earth's crust |
| seismograph | an instrument that records earthquake waves |
| hot spot | A volcanically active area of Earth's surface, commonly far from a tectonic plate boundary. |