By Brieana Williams, Sophomore
A tremor is
a sudden release of energy that creates
waves.
Observations, similar over their range of validity, are mostly almost
imperceptible or
weak
and potentially cause serious
damage depending on their
depth.
Although there is no limit to the
intensity of shaking—
the shallower, the more damage
to the surface.
Waves are caused mostly by
the rupture of faults—
land-
slides.
Most motion
leads to
increasing stress,
until the stress has risen sufficiently to break
through; suddenly allowing energy
generated by friction.
The energy released
and its magnitude,
as proportional to the area of the fault that
ruptures
and the stress.
The longer and the wider
the faulted area,
the larger the resulting
magnitude.
