Besides the epicenter, what term describes the location of an earthquake?

The focal depth refers to the vertical distance between the Earth's surface and the point where the earthquake originates, known as the focus or hypocenter. Understanding focal depth is essential in seismology, as it provides key information about the earthquake's intensity and the area affected by seismic waves.

The other terms mentioned have different meanings. A seismic zone defines an area with a certain level of seismic activity and potential for earthquakes but does not specify an individual earthquake’s location. Tectonic plates refer to the large sections of the Earth's crust that move and interact, leading to earthquake occurrences but do not identify a specific event’s location. Fault lines are fractures in the Earth's crust along which movement has occurred, associated with the potential for earthquakes, but again, they do not pinpoint the precise location of an earthquake event itself.

In summary, while the epicenter indicates the point on the surface directly above the focus, the focal depth provides a critical component in understanding where an earthquake initiates within the Earth’s crust.