Earthquake’s Epicenter, Focus, Magnitude,

Intensity, Active and Inactive Faults

• When earthquake strikes, the seismic
waves are formed and travel within the
earth’s interior up to earth’s crust. It
creates damages or destructions
depending on the released energy.
• The magnitude of an earthquake refers to
how strong the energy is being released
by an earthquake while the damages it
created is determined by its intensity.
The stress or pressure that builds up along the boundary
of moving tectonic plates cause the rocks to deform,
break and eventually release energy that causes
trembling or shaking of the ground known as earthquake.
When earthquake strikes, seismic waves are generated
that travel outward. The site where the rocks break or
where earthquake started is referred to as focus or
hypocenter. Above it, on the earth’s surface is the
epicenter of the earthquake. It is the point on the earth’s
surface nearest to where the earthquake originates and
where great damages can be observed.
• When a strong earthquake strikes, we often hear the
word magnitude and intensity over the news to describe it.
What is the difference between the two? The magnitude
of the earthquake refers to the energy released and its
shaking the ground at its focus and measured by a Richter
scale as Magnitude 8. On the other hand, intensity is the
amount of energy of damage as measured by the
Mercalli scale as Intensity VII, brought about by the effect
of the earthquake on humans, natural and man-made
structures and land surfaces.
• Aside from plate boundaries,
earthquakes are also generated
from a zone with weak rocks, known
as faults. These are cracks or breaks
in the earth’s surface. We have two
types of faults; the active faults and
the inactive faults. Active faults
create earthquakes once moved.
The following are the different category of faults depending on the
displacement orientation;
a. Dip-slip fault-the movement is up or down and parallel to the dip of
the inclined fault surface. It has two types, the normal and reverse.
They can be distinguished depending on the movement of footwall
and hanging wall.
b. Strike slip fault-the movement is horizontal and
parallel to the strike of the fault. The fault block
may laterally move to left or to the right with
respect to the opposite block.
c. Oblique- slip fault- has both the strike-slip
and dip slip movements.
Assessment
Arrange the jumbled letters to get the correct answer. The clue
before the letters will serve as guide in determining the correct
answer. Write on a separate sheet
1. Refers to the measure on the damages created by an earthquake.
(SNTEINTYI)

2. It is the spot where earthquake commonly starts.

(SUFCO)

3. The strength of energy released by an earthquake is referred to

as___.
(MIGTUANED)
4. The spot in the earth’s surface that is directly above the
focus.
(ECETPINRE)

5. Type of fault that frequently moves when subjected to

too much pressure.
(TICAVE LUAFT)