Quiz on Earthquakes

Q1. Most earthquakes occur

A. at plate boundaries

B. in the mantle

C. in plate interiors

D. at zones where there is little stress on rocks

Check your answer

Q2. Which seismic wave reaches seismographs first?

A. P waves

B. S waves

C. surface waves

D. it depends on the distance between earthquake and seismograph

Check your answer

Q3. Which type of seismic wave does not propagate through fluids?

A. P waves

B. S waves

C. surface waves

D. all seismic waves travel through water

Check your answer

Q4. The distance to an earthquake epicenter is determined by

A measuring the amplitude of the largest P wave

B. measuring the amplitude of the largest S wave

C. measuring the travel time of P waves

D. measuring the time delay between arrival of P and S waves

Check your answer

Q5. P waves shake rock by

A. twisting the rock

B. shearing the rock in a direction perpendicular to wave travel

C. compressing and expanding the rock in the direction of wave travel

D. shearing the rock in a wave-like motion

Check your answer

Q6. Which of the following regions is characterized by intraplate earthquakes?

A. Japan

B. southern California

C. New Madrid, Missouri

D. Tibet

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Q7. Going up one whole unit on the Richter scale represents

A. a 10-fold increase in energy release

B. a 30-fold increase in energy release

C. a 10-fold increase in damage done by the quake

D. a 10-fold increase in P wave amplitude

Check your answer

Answers

A1. Most earthquakes occur

A. at plate boundaries

B. in the mantle

C. in plate interiors

D. at zones where there is little stress on rocks

Answer: A

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A2. Which seismic wave reaches seismographs first?

A. P waves

B. S waves

C. surface waves

D. it depends on the distance between earthquake and seismograph

Answer: A

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A3. Which type of seismic wave does not propagate through fluids?

A. P waves

B. S waves

C. surface waves

D. all seismic waves travel through water

Answer: B.

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A4. The distance to an earthquake epicenter is determined by

A measuring the amplitude of the largest P wave

B. measuring the amplitude of the largest S wave

C. measuring the travel time of P waves

D. measuring the time delay between arrival of P and S waves

Answer: D

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A5. P waves shake rock by

A. twisting the rock

B. shearing the rock in a direction perpendicular to wave travel

C. compressing and expanding the rock in the direction of wave travel

D. shearing the rock in a wave-like motion

Answer: C

Go to next question

A6. Which of the following regions is characterized by intraplate earthquakes?

A. Japan

B. southern California

C. New Madrid, Missouri

D. Tibet

Answer: C.

Go to next question

A7. Going up one whole unit on the Richter scale represents

A. a 10-fold increase in energy release

B. a 30-fold increase in energy release

C. a 10-fold increase in damage done by the quake

D. a 10-fold increase in P wave amplitude