Editing Seismometer (section)

{{short description|Instrument that records seismic waves by measuring ground motions}}
[[File:Kinemetrics seismograph.jpg|320px|thumb|Kinemetric seismograph.]]
{{Earthquakes}}

A '''seismometer''' is an [[list of measuring instruments|instrument]] that responds to ground displacement and shaking such as caused by [[quake (natural phenomenon)|quake]]s, [[types of volcanic eruptions|volcanic eruptions]], and [[explosion]]s. They are usually combined with a timing device and a recording device to form a '''seismograph'''.<ref><!-- {{Harvnb|Agnew|2003|p=269}}  -->
{{cite book |first=Duncan Carr |last=Agnew |chapter=Ch. 1: History of Seismology |pages=3–11 |year=2003 |title=International Handbook of Earthquake & Engineering Seismology |volume=Part A |isbn=978-0-12-440652-0 |lccn=2002103787}}</ref> The output of such a device—formerly recorded on paper (see picture) or film, now recorded and processed digitally—is a ''[[seismogram]]''. Such data is used to locate and characterize [[earthquake]]s, and to study the [[internal structure of Earth|internal structure]] of [[Earth]].