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📘 A fault stores motion while it is stuck

A fault is a fracture or zone of fractures where blocks of Earth's crust can move.

3
lessons
~15 min
to learn
Adults
level
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What you’ll learn

  1. Loading and ruptureExplain elastic strain storage and sudden fault slip.Locked faults bend surrounding rock until rupture releases stored strain.
  2. Seismic wavesDistinguish P waves, S waves, and damaging surface motion.Body and surface waves spread energy outward with different speeds and effects.
  3. Records and aftershocksRead seismograms and interpret aftershocks as stress redistribution.Instruments record wave timing while smaller quakes follow the main rupture.

Questions this course answers

What stores elastic energy before many earthquakes?

Locked faults let surrounding rock deform and store elastic strain energy.

What does elastic rebound describe?

Elastic rebound is the release of deformation as rocks move toward a less strained state.

Where does an earthquake rupture begin underground?

The focus is the underground point where rupture first starts.

Which process directly releases stored strain on a fault?

Sudden movement of the fault blocks converts stored strain into other forms of energy.

Why do P waves arrive before S waves?

P waves are the faster body waves, so they reach a station first.

What is distinctive about S waves?

S waves shear material and require a medium that can support shear stress.

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