Earthquake vs. Volcano — What's the Difference?

An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the shaking of the surface of the Earth resulting from a sudden release of energy in the Earth's lithosphere that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in size from those that are so weak that they cannot be felt to those violent enough to propel objects and people into the air, and wreak destruction across entire cities.

A volcano is a rupture in the crust of a planetary-mass object, such as Earth, that allows hot lava, volcanic ash, and gases to escape from a magma chamber below the surface. On Earth, volcanoes are most often found where tectonic plates are diverging or converging, and most are found underwater.

A sudden movement of the earth's crust caused by the release of stress accumulated along geologic faults or by volcanic activity. Also called seism, temblor.

An opening in the earth's crust from which lava, ash, and hot gases flow or are ejected during an eruption.

A shaking of the ground, caused by volcanic activity or movement around geologic faults.

A similar opening on the surface of another celestial object.

(planetary geology) Such a quake specifically occurring on the planet Earth, as opposed to other celestial bodies.

A usually cone-shaped mountain formed from the materials issuing from such an opening.

(figuratively) A sudden and intense upheaval; a severely disruptive event.

A vent or fissure on the surface of a planet (usually in a mountainous form) with a magma chamber attached to the mantle of a planet or moon, periodically erupting forth lava and volcanic gases onto the surface.

(intransitive) To undergo an earthquake.

A kind of firework producing an upward plume of sparks.

A shaking, trembling, or concussion of the earth, due to subterranean causes, often accompanied by a rumbling noise. The wave of shock sometimes traverses half a hemisphere, destroying cities and many thousand lives; - called also earthdin, earthquave, and earthshock.

To erupt; to burst forth

Like, or characteristic of, an earthquake; loud; startling.

A mountain or hill, usually more or less conical in form, from which lava, cinders, steam, sulphur gases, and the like, are ejected; - often popularly called a burning mountain.

Shaking and vibration at the surface of the earth resulting from underground movement along a fault plane of from volcanic activity

A fissure in the earth's crust (or in the surface of some other planet) through which molten lava and gases erupt

A disturbance that is extremely disruptive;

A mountain formed by volcanic material