At a minimum, how many seismic stations are necessary to locate the epicenter of an
A)one
B)two
C)three
D)four

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The minimum number of seismic stations required to locate the epicenter is three. This is because, with three stations, we can draw three circles around each station with radii equal to the seismic wave arrival times. The point where the circles intersect is the epicenter. If we have only one or two stations, we can still detect the earthquake, but it will be impossible to accurately locate the epicenter. With four or more stations, we can still calculate the epicenter, but it will be a redundant exercise as three stations are sufficient to accurately locate the epicenter.

At a Minimum, How Many Seismic Stations Are Necessary to Locate