Question 1

The Mercalli intensity scale tends to be very subjective and thus is generally only used for historical earthquakes that were near people but were not recorded by seismometers.Why might the Mercalli scale be subjective?
A)It relies on testimony from people.
B)It does not take into account distance.
C)It can only be used for large earthquakes.
D)It cannot be used in heavily populated areas.

Accepted Answer

The Mercalli intensity scale relies on observations and testimonies from people who experienced the earthquake, which can be subjective and vary from person to person.

Question 2

Which of the following does NOT affect the severity of damage from an earthquake?
A)weather
B)distance
C)duration
D)magnitude

Accepted Answer

Weather does not affect the severity of damage from an earthquake as it is a natural disaster caused by tectonic plate movements. Distance, duration, and magnitude all play a role in the severity of the earthquake's impact.

Question 3

Surface waves ________.
A)travel more rapidly than body waves
B)produce most of the damage to buildings during earthquakes
C)are the first waves initially produced in an earthquake
D)are the first waves to arrive at a seismograph station after an earthquake

Accepted Answer

Surface waves are the slowest waves but they produce the most damage to buildings during earthquakes. Body waves are the first waves initially produced in an earthquake, and P-waves are the first waves to arrive at a seismograph station after an earthquake.

Question 4

According to the image below,where was the epicenter of the earthquake?

A)New York
B)Florida
C)Canada
D)South Carolina

Accepted Answer

Based on the map, the epicenter of the earthquake is located near the coast of South Carolina.

Question 5

The moment magnitude is based on the ________ and ________ of the earthquake.
A)amplitude;rupture area
B)amplitude;distance
C)rupture area;amount of damage
D)amount of damage;distance

Accepted Answer

Moment magnitude is calculated based on the amplitude of the seismic waves and the size of the area of the earthquake rupture.

Question 6

An earthquake occurs with an epicenter in the town of New Madrid,Missouri,in the interior of the North American Plate.Where might the hypocenter of this earthquake plausibly be found?
A)in New Madrid (hypocenter and epicenter mean precisely the same thing)
B)20 km south of New Madrid
C)20 km beneath New Madrid
D)200 km north New Madrid

Accepted Answer

Since the epicenter is located in New Madrid, it is likely that the hypocenter (the point underground where the earthquake originates) is also located in the same general area. Option C, which suggests the hypocenter is 20 km beneath New Madrid, is the most plausible. Options A and D are not likely since they suggest the hypocenter is either directly in New Madrid or too far away from it. Option B could be a possibility, but since there is no information to suggest that the earthquake is associated with a specific fault or boundary, it is difficult to say whether the hypocenter would be located in a specific direction from the epicenter.

Question 7

Wet and unconsolidated substrates are uniquely susceptible to ________ during an earthquake.
A)displacement
B)collapse
C)liquefaction
D)faulting

Accepted Answer

Wet and unconsolidated substrates can experience a phenomenon called liquefaction during an earthquake. Liquefaction occurs when the ground temporarily loses its strength and stiffness due to the sudden increase in pore pressure as a result of cyclic loading from seismic waves. This can cause the ground to become unstable and behave like a liquid, leading to buildings and other structures sinking or tilting, and even causing large mass wasting events like landslides. Displacement, collapse, and faulting can also occur during earthquakes, but they are not unique to wet and unconsolidated substrates.

Question 8

Which type of seismic wave has the fastest velocity?
A)L-wave
B)P-wave
C)R-wave
D)S-wave

Accepted Answer

P-waves, or primary waves, have the fastest velocity and are the first type of seismic wave to be detected by seismometers.

Question 9

What is the magnitude of the earthquake shown in the image below?

A)5
B)24
C)220
D)6

Accepted Answer

The answer of What is the magnitude of the earthquake...

Question 10

The ________the earthquake,the less severe the damage will be.
A)larger the magnitude of
B)shorter the duration of
C)farther you are from
D)closer you are to

Accepted Answer

The farther you are from the earthquake, the less severe the damage will be, as distance reduces the impact of seismic waves.

Question 11

Why do subduction zones have the potential to create the largest earthquakes on Earth?
A)The convergence creates exceedingly large amounts of friction.
B)Subduction zones create the highest pressures of any plate boundary.
C)Subduction zones have very large areas for potential rupture and thus can produce large earthquakes.
D)This is not true.Transform faults (like the San Andreas)can produce the largest earthquakes.

Accepted Answer

Subduction zones have a large area of potential rupture due to the large size of the subducting plate and the overlying plate. This creates a lot of stored energy that can be released in a single, large earthquake. The other options, while contributing factors, do not fully explain why subduction zones have the potential to create the largest earthquakes on Earth.

Question 12

Earthquakes can often produce ________ by breaking gas lines.
A)landslides
B)flooding
C)sinkholes
D)fires

Accepted Answer

Earthquakes can cause fires by breaking gas lines and igniting the escaping gas.

Question 13

According to the image below,which seismic wave phase is likely to cause the most damage?

A)P-wave
B)S-wave
C)surface wave
D)aftershock

Accepted Answer

Surface waves are the slowest but the most destructive seismic waves because they move the ground both horizontally and vertically, causing intense shaking and ground displacement. P-waves and S-waves can cause damage as well, but not as much as surface waves. Aftershocks are simply smaller earthquakes that follow a larger earthquake and do not typically cause significant damage on their own.

Question 14

According to the diagram below,the energy released by the 1994 Northridge earthquakes was roughly the same as the energy released by ________.

A)the H-bomb
B)Mount St.Helens
C)the tornado
D)the hurricane

Accepted Answer

The answer of According to the diagram below,the energy released...

Question 15

According to the moment magnitude scale (Mw),a magnitude 8 earthquake would be 1,000 times greater than a magnitude ________ earthquake.
A)9
B)5
C)7
D)4

Accepted Answer

According to the moment magnitude scale, each whole number increase in magnitude represents a tenfold increase in the amplitude of ground motion and a thirtyfold increase in the released energy. Therefore, a magnitude 8 earthquake would be 10^(8-5) = 10^3 = 1,000 times greater than a magnitude 5 earthquake.

Question 16

Which seismic wave phase causes the ground to roll like a wave?
A)P-wave
B)S-wave
C)Rayleigh wave
D)Love wave

Accepted Answer

Rayleigh waves are the surface waves that cause the ground to move in a rolling motion like that of ocean waves. They are slower than P-waves and S-waves but have the largest amplitude and can cause the most damage during an earthquake. Love waves, on the other hand, cause the ground to move in a horizontal motion and are also surface waves, but they do not create a rolling motion.

Question 17

On December 26,2004,a magnitude 9.3 earthquake generated a tsunami that devastated coastlines on the ________ Ocean.
A)Atlantic
B)Arctic
C)Indian
D)Pacific

Accepted Answer

The answer of On December 26,2004,a magnitude 9.3 earthquake generated...

Question 18

The larger the ________ of the wave,the more severe the damage will be.
A)travel-time curve
B)epicenter
C)seismometer
D)amplitude

Accepted Answer

The amplitude refers to the height or intensity of a wave, and in the context of earthquakes, it is directly related to the magnitude of the earthquake. Therefore, the larger the amplitude of the wave, the more severe the damage will be.

Question 19

________ occur(s)when earthquakes causes pore pressure to increase,which in turn causes grains to separate and compact.
A)Liquefaction
B)Aftershocks
C)Normal faults
D)Landslides

Accepted Answer

Liquefaction is a phenomenon that occurs when earthquakes or other seismic activity cause underground pore pressure to build-up, which can cause grains to separate and compact. This can result in the ground becoming weaker, unstable, and more prone to landslides or collapsing.

Question 20

A tsunami is ________.
A)a sea wave generated by a displacement of water
B)a sloshing of water back and forth within a lake or a bay
C)a wave caused by unusually large tidal forces
D)the tendency of wet,clay-rich soils to behave like a liquid during an earthquake

Accepted Answer

A tsunami is a sea wave generated by a displacement of water, usually caused by an undersea earthquake, volcanic eruption, or landslide.

Quiz 8: A Violent Pulse: Earthquakes

The Mercalli intensity scale tends to be very subjective and thus is generally only used for historical earthquakes that were near people but were not recorded by seismometers.Why might the Mercalli scale be subjective?

Which of the following does NOT affect the severity of damage from an earthquake?

Surface waves ________.

According to the image below,where was the epicenter of the earthquake?

The moment magnitude is based on the and of the earthquake.

An earthquake occurs with an epicenter in the town of New Madrid,Missouri,in the interior of the North American Plate.Where might the hypocenter of this earthquake plausibly be found?

Wet and unconsolidated substrates are uniquely susceptible to ________ during an earthquake.

Which type of seismic wave has the fastest velocity?

What is the magnitude of the earthquake shown in the image below?

The ________the earthquake,the less severe the damage will be.

Why do subduction zones have the potential to create the largest earthquakes on Earth?

Earthquakes can often produce ________ by breaking gas lines.

According to the image below,which seismic wave phase is likely to cause the most damage?

According to the diagram below,the energy released by the 1994 Northridge earthquakes was roughly the same as the energy released by ________.

According to the moment magnitude scale (Mw) ,a magnitude 8 earthquake would be 1,000 times greater than a magnitude ________ earthquake.

Which seismic wave phase causes the ground to roll like a wave?

On December 26,2004,a magnitude 9.3 earthquake generated a tsunami that devastated coastlines on the ________ Ocean.

The larger the ________ of the wave,the more severe the damage will be.

________ occur(s) when earthquakes causes pore pressure to increase,which in turn causes grains to separate and compact.

A tsunami is ________.