Why is finding the epicenter important

KQED is a proud member of. Always free. Sign In. KQED Inform. Save Article Save Article. Apr 15, Develop an Emergency Communication Plan. Help Your Community Get Ready. Where are seismographs located? A seismograph is an instrument for measuring earthquake seismic waves. They are held in a very solid position, either on the bedrock or on a concrete base.

The seismometer itself consists of a frame and a mass that can move relative to it. Where can you find a fault? These faults are commonly found in collisions zones, where tectonic plates push up mountain ranges such as the Himalayas and the Rocky Mountains. All faults are related to the movement of Earth's tectonic plates.

The biggest faults mark the boundary between two plates. What frequency do earthquakes shake at? What is AP Wave? A P wave, or compressional wave, is a seismic body wave that shakes the ground back and forth in the same direction and the opposite direction as the direction the wave is moving.

How do you measure the depth of an earthquake? The depth of an earthquake can be determined from the sP phase in the same manner as the pP phase by using the appropriate travel-time curves or depth tables for sP. If the pP and sP waves can be identified on the seismogram, an accurate focal depth can be determined. What are the types of earthquake waves? Types of wave Seismic waves are fundamentally of two types, compressional, longitudinal waves or shear, transverse waves.

Through the body of the Earth these are called P-waves for primary because they are fastest and S-waves for secondary since they are slower. What is the hypocenter of an earthquake? The hypocenter is the point within the earth where an earthquake rupture starts. Home Kids Earth Science links to all the categories on our website. Check out Myrna Martin's award winning textbooks, e-books, videos and rock sets. The Kids Fun Science Bookstore covers a wide range of earth science topics.

Click here to browse. The Kids Fun Science monthly newsletter will include the following: current events, weird and fantastic facts, a question of the month, science trivia and the latest new content from our website. We respect your privacy and you can be assured that we will never share your email address or use it for any other purpose than to send you our newsletter.

Award winning Earth Science materials. Earthquake Epicenter The earthquake epicenter is a point on the Earth's surface directly above an earthquake. Kids Fun Science Bookstore. School Books. Fun Science Books. Activity Books. Enjoy this page? Please pay it forward. Here's how Would you prefer to share this page with others by linking to it? Click on the HTML link code below.