The faults break due to accumulated stress along the fault. The sudden release of energy is called an earthquake. The energy is released as seismic waves that travel away from the earthquake location. The waves can be measured by an instrument named a seismometer. The timing and amplitude of the seismic waves can be used to determine the location and magnitude of the earthquake.
Earthquakes commonly occur along plate boundaries.
These waves also provide information on the structure of the earth. A clear layering is recognized. In this lab we will study the three types of faults that can form. Next, we will look at how and earthquake forms along a fault. Then we will see how a seismometer records an earthquake and how the location and magnitude are determined.