The terms focus and epicentre are linked by the epicentre being found on the surface, directly above the focus.
Is my answer correct.
Geological Events - Writeacher, Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 7:34pm
Mostly correct. But in earthquakes, it's not always true. Or are you dealing only with volcanoes?
Geological Events - Anonymous, Tuesday, January 11, 2011 at 7:51pm
How is it not true in earthquakes
Read these carefully:
http://www.abag.ca.gov/bayarea/eqmaps/fixit/ch2/sld003.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fault_(geology)
Notice the 3rd graphic on the right.
That explains everything, thanks
In most cases, the terms focus and epicenter are associated with earthquakes. The focus refers to the point underground where the energy is released, causing an earthquake. On the other hand, the epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus. So, in the majority of earthquakes, the epicenter can be found on the surface directly above the focus.
However, there are some instances where the concept of focus and epicenter may not hold true. These are known as shallow-focus earthquakes or surface-focus earthquakes. In these cases, the earthquake's energy is released very close to the Earth's surface, and therefore the focus may actually be at or near the surface. This means that the epicenter and focus would coincide, rather than the epicenter being directly above the focus.
So, while your original answer is generally correct for most earthquakes, it's important to note that there are exceptions where the focus and epicenter may not be directly correlated.