Frequently asked questions
Here are some commonly asked questions about seismology and earthquakes:
- What is an earthquake?
- Where do earthquakes occur?
- Which countries have the largest and most frequent earthquakes?
- What is the biggest earthquake that has ever happened?
- How many global earthquakes occur each year?
- Do earthquakes occur in Britain?
- Why do we monitor UK earthquakes?
- What is the biggest earthquake Britain has ever had?
- What are the largest two instrumental, onshore earthquakes?
- What is the most damaging British earthquake?
- Is there any pattern to UK seismicity?
- What limits the depth of earthquakes in Britain?
- Can we identify the fault which triggered a British earthquake?
- Have earthquakes caused deaths in Britain?
- What is earthquake magnitude?
- How can earthquake magnitudes be negative?
- Why do we need more than one earthquake magnitude scale?
- What is the difference between magnitude and intensity?
- Are earthquakes on the increase?
- Can earthquakes be predicted?
- Glossary of terms used in seismology
