Epicenter

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The point directly above the focus of an earthquake, on Earth’s surface

Real World Example

Imagine you're at a crowded party, and someone spills a drink in the middle of the room. The immediate splash and wetness are felt at the center, but soon, everyone around the spill starts feeling the effects as the liquid spreads. Similar to this, when an earthquake occurs, the initial 'spill' or disturbance happens deep underground, called the focus, but the impact is first felt at the epicenter directly above it on the surface, just like how the splash's effects first reach those closest to the spill. In this analogy, the center of the spill is like the earthquake's focus, and the point on the floor where the spill is most intense, directly above the center of the spill, represents the epicenter on Earth’s surface.

Practice Version

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