Earthquakes the Destructive Natural Phenomena

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Earthquakes the Destructive Natural Phenomena

An earthquake, one of the most destructive natural phenomena, consists of rapid vibrations of rock near the surface of the earth. It is the most terrifying of all natural phenomena and has brought fear since ancient times because of its sudden unpredictable occurrence and enormous capacity of destruction. A single shock usually last no more than a few seconds, although several quakes may last for as much as a couple of minutes. The quake as felt on the surface is always the result never the cause of some geologic process although the damage done may be immense.

The Greek word for "shaking," and (when it applies to the earth) "earthquakes," is seismos. The science of earthquakes, therefore, is called seismology The scientific study of earthquakes is comparatively new. Until around the 18th century, few accurate descriptions of earthquakes were recorded, and the natural cause of earthquakes was little understood. Although earthquake can be the result of sea-floor spreading, volcano eruptions and plate tectonics, the great majority of earthquakes are caused by sudden movement or the large blocks of the earth's crust near the surface along lines called faults. When the stress that develops in the crust becomes too big for the rock to support, one side of vibrations that transmit waves which travel for long distances through the interior of the earth or along surface. The energy released by an earthquake moves in the form of waves through the rock which act as an elastic body. These waves make the ground vibrate, and are what we call earthquakes. The two main types of earthquake waves are P waves and S waves. P waves or primary waves are the fastest and can travel through solid and l...

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...s have occurred for billions of years. Descriptions as old as recorded history show the significant effects they have had on people's lives. Long before there were scientific theories for the cause of earthquakes, people around the world created folklore to explain them. In simple terms, the constant motion of earth's surface causes earthquakes. This motion creates buildup and release of energy stored in rocks at and near the Earth's surface. Earthquakes are the sudden, rapid shaking of the earth as this energy is released. However, the science and practice of how to protect ourselves, our buildings and our cities from the twentieth century. The approach to protection is necessary and requires a wide range of measures including public education programs, better building design and increasing quality of construction in the areas most likely to suffer an earthquake.

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