What is an earthquake?
An earthquake or an earthquake is a natural phenomenon that consists of a shaking of the Earth’s surface, produced by the movement of the interior layers of the Earth.
Every earthquake or earthquake is characterized by having a hypocenter and an epicenter. He hypocenter It is the point of origin, and is located inside the earth.
For his part, the epicenter It is the point on the surface where the tectonic movement is projected. It is located above the hypocenter. Therefore, the epicenter is the point on the surface where an earthquake is perceived with greatest intensity.
Earthquakes are geological phenomena that occur periodically, but none of their aspects can be predicted: neither the place where they will occur nor the magnitude nor the moment. They are always sudden, unexpected. Therefore, those who live in areas of high seismic risk must be prepared to know what to do in the event of an earthquake.
Earthquakes or earthquakes are studied by a branch of geophysics known as seismology. They are measured according to the Richter seismological scale.
The word earthquake derives from seismwhich in turn comes from the Greek σεισμός (seismós), which means ‘shaking’. For its part, the word earthquake comes from Latin terraemotuswhich means ‘movement of the earth’.
Causes of earthquakes
Earthquakes or earthquakes occur due to the movement of the Earth’s interior plates, called tectonic layers. When plates move, collide with each other or deform, they produce energy that is released in the form of tremors. For this reason, these types of tremors are classified as tectonic earthquakes.
Some earthquakes or earthquakes can be caused by volcanic processes. When a volcano releases internal magma to the surface, it generates seismic shocks in the earth.
Likewise, slope movements or the collapse of rock cavities can generate earthquakes.
Regions traversed by tectonic faults are more prone to seismic activity. Mountainous areas are a good example of this. The mountains, in this regard, give us an indication of the places through which a fault passes.
Consequences of earthquakes
Depending on their intensity, earthquakes or earthquakes can cause various consequences in nature and for human life. Among them, we can mention:
soil ruptures; destruction of material heritage; deaths; fires; tidal waves (tsunamis); landslides.
Annually, more than three hundred thousand perceptible earthquakes occur in the world, although the vast majority of them do not cause loss or material damage. In fact, only a very low percentage is significant.
See also:
Types of earthquakes
We can classify earthquakes according to the type of movement they present.
Oscillatory earthquakeis one in which the movement of the tremors occurs horizontally, producing a kind of rocking or oscillation, a sensation similar to moving from one side to another.
Trepidatory earthquake, is one where the movement presents vertical jerks, that is, from top to bottom. This type of movement can cause things to be thrown into the air.
Earthquake resistance
Earthquake resistance or seismic resistance is the set of structural standards and requirements that a building must meet to be able to withstand an earthquake. Earthquake resistance is especially necessary in areas of high seismic activity.
As such, it includes a set of aspects related to the design and construction of buildings, fundamentally those related to the structural configuration (dimensions, materials, resistance, etc.). The purpose of earthquake resistance is to prevent the building from collapsing, totally or partially, during an earthquake.
artificial earthquake
An artificial earthquake is one that is produced by man through the detonation of explosive material inside the earth. In general, they are low intensity earthquakes, induced to carry out studies in the subsoil, and to search for hydrocarbons or minerals, among other things.