An earthquake occurs with an epicenter in the town of New Madrid,Missouri,in the interior of the North American Plate.What is the most likely location of the hypocenter?
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 beneath New Madrid

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The hypocenter is the point beneath the Earth's surface where the earthquake originated. Since the earthquake occurred in the interior of the North American Plate, it is unlikely that the hypocenter is located far from the epicenter. Option C, 20 km beneath New Madrid, is the most likely location of the hypocenter as it is closest to the epicenter. Options A and B are less likely as the hypocenter is expected to be beneath the Earth's surface and not necessarily at the same location as the epicenter. Option D is also less likely as it is too deep for an earthquake occurring within the continental crust.

An Earthquake Occurs with an Epicenter in the Town of New