ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Accelerograph

An accelerograph is a special machine that measures how much the ground shakes during an earthquake. It works a lot like a regular scale that we use to weigh things, except it measures movement instead of weight.

Imagine you are standing on a trampoline and someone starts bouncing on it. You feel the trampoline shaking and moving under your feet. An accelerograph is like a special tool that can measure how much the trampoline is moving and how fast it's bouncing.

During an earthquake, the ground moves like the trampoline, and the accelerograph is like a special tool that can measure how much the ground is shaking and how fast it's moving. Scientists use the information from the accelerograph to learn more about the earthquake, like how strong it was, how long it lasted, and where it happened.

Overall, an accelerograph is a very helpful tool that helps scientists learn more about earthquakes and how to protect people from their effects.