Question 1

In order to provide an early warning system, which of the following is LEAST helpful in trying to predict a tsunami?

Accepted Answer

A)  world-wide seismic networks that broadcast warnings based on an earthquake's potential for generating a tsunami 
B)  deploying warning buoys to detect small changes in sea level 
C)  monitoring earthquakes on land 
D)  considering the tectonic setting and type of plate boundary that is nearby 
A)  world-wide seismic networks that broadcast warnings based on an earthquake's potential for generating a tsunami 
B)  deploying warning buoys to detect small changes in sea level 
C)  monitoring earthquakes on land 
D)  considering the tectonic setting and type of plate boundary that is nearby

Question 2

Most large earthquakes on subduction zones occur because of:

Accepted Answer

A)  warming of cold oceanic crust 
B)  melting of cold oceanic crust 
C)  melting of the mantle 
D)  energy released in erupting volcanoes 
E)  faulting along the plate boundary 
A)  warming of cold oceanic crust 
B)  melting of cold oceanic crust 
C)  melting of the mantle 
D)  energy released in erupting volcanoes 
E)  faulting along the plate boundary

Question 3

Shaking during an earthquake can:

Accepted Answer

A)  liquefy unconsolidated sediments, causing destruction of buildings on top of them 
B)  generate a tsunami 
C)  trigger landslides 
D)  cause rigid buildings to collapse 
E)  all of these 
A)  liquefy unconsolidated sediments, causing destruction of buildings on top of them 
B)  generate a tsunami 
C)  trigger landslides 
D)  cause rigid buildings to collapse 
E)  all of these

Question 4

This model of flow within Earth predicts that:

Accepted Answer

A)  subducted plates pile up on the core-mantle boundary 
B)  material rises near the core-mantle boundary 
C)  cold material is more dense and sinks 
D)  hot material is less dense and rises 
E)  all of these 
A)  subducted plates pile up on the core-mantle boundary 
B)  material rises near the core-mantle boundary 
C)  cold material is more dense and sinks 
D)  hot material is less dense and rises 
E)  all of these

Question 5

How do we determine the location of a recent earthquake?

Accepted Answer

A)  measure the amplitude of surface waves in a single station 
B)  point video cameras at the landscape to record which way the surface moves 
C)  use seismic records from three or more stations 
D)  read old newspaper accounts of how the land moved 
E)  none of these 
A)  measure the amplitude of surface waves in a single station 
B)  point video cameras at the landscape to record which way the surface moves 
C)  use seismic records from three or more stations 
D)  read old newspaper accounts of how the land moved 
E)  none of these

Question 6

Where do most earthquakes occur near mid-ocean ridges?

Accepted Answer

A)  at great depths more than 100 km) 
B)  along the axis of the ridge and on transform faults that connect ridge segments 
C)  in the asthenosphere where mantle undergoes decompression melting 
D)  on the boundary between the mantle and the oceanic crust 
E)  all of these 
A)  at great depths more than 100 km) 
B)  along the axis of the ridge and on transform faults that connect ridge segments 
C)  in the asthenosphere where mantle undergoes decompression melting 
D)  on the boundary between the mantle and the oceanic crust 
E)  all of these

Question 7

Why does the United States have such varying risks of seismic activity?

Accepted Answer

A)  Some areas are near plate boundaries, while others are not. 
B)  Some regions in the continental interior have active fault systems. 
C)  Volcanic activity can cause seismic risk in some areas. 
D)  These are all reasons the United States has varying risks of seismic activity. 
A)  Some areas are near plate boundaries, while others are not. 
B)  Some regions in the continental interior have active fault systems. 
C)  Volcanic activity can cause seismic risk in some areas. 
D)  These are all reasons the United States has varying risks of seismic activity.

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT true about some segments of the San Andreas fault?

Accepted Answer

A)  Much of the northern San Andreas fault moved during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. 
B)  Some segments of the fault creep slowly rather than storing up large amounts of energy. 
C)  Some segments of the fault produce moderate-sized earthquakes every couple of decades. 
D)  The fault has strike-slip motion, so the area west of the fault could fall into the sea. 
E)  One part of the fault has not moved for more than 100 years. 
A)  Much of the northern San Andreas fault moved during the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. 
B)  Some segments of the fault creep slowly rather than storing up large amounts of energy. 
C)  Some segments of the fault produce moderate-sized earthquakes every couple of decades. 
D)  The fault has strike-slip motion, so the area west of the fault could fall into the sea. 
E)  One part of the fault has not moved for more than 100 years.

Question 9

As it grows, a fault rupture that began at depth:

Accepted Answer

A)  has an oval shape below the surface 
B)  stops growing once any part of the rupture reaches the surface 
C)  will grow until the seismic waves reach the surface 
D)  will grow until it reaches the mantle 
A)  has an oval shape below the surface 
B)  stops growing once any part of the rupture reaches the surface 
C)  will grow until the seismic waves reach the surface 
D)  will grow until it reaches the mantle

Question 10

Which of the following types of faults does NOT generate earthquakes?

Accepted Answer

A)  normal fault 
B)  reverse fault 
C)  thrust fault 
D)  strike-slip fault 
E)  all types of faults can generate earthquakes 
A)  normal fault 
B)  reverse fault 
C)  thrust fault 
D)  strike-slip fault 
E)  all types of faults can generate earthquakes

Question 11

Using this nomogram, what is the magnitude of an earthquake that is 500 km from a seismic station and has an amplitude of 0.2 mm?

Accepted Answer

A)  2.0 
B)  4.0 
C)  6.0 
D)  7.0 
E)  10.2 
A)  2.0 
B)  4.0 
C)  6.0 
D)  7.0 
E)  10.2

Question 12

Geologists can investigate the interior of the Earth by:

Accepted Answer

A)  examining rocks that once resided at great depths 
B)  subjecting rocks to high temperature and pressure in laboratory settings 
C)  creating computer and numerical models to model processes that occur at depth 
D)  all of these are ways geologists can investigate the interior of the Earth 
A)  examining rocks that once resided at great depths 
B)  subjecting rocks to high temperature and pressure in laboratory settings 
C)  creating computer and numerical models to model processes that occur at depth 
D)  all of these are ways geologists can investigate the interior of the Earth

Question 13

What is true about the earthquakes on this figure at points A and B)?

Accepted Answer

A)  for each earthquake, the epicenter and hypocenter are located close together 
B)  neither earthquake is related to the volcano 
C)  an eruption makes loud noises but not seismic waves 
D)  landslides cause death but not seismic waves 
A)  for each earthquake, the epicenter and hypocenter are located close together 
B)  neither earthquake is related to the volcano 
C)  an eruption makes loud noises but not seismic waves 
D)  landslides cause death but not seismic waves

Question 14

Earthquakes may be caused by:

Accepted Answer

A)  movement along faults 
B)  volcanic eruptions and magma movement 
C)  landslides 
D)  explosions and human activity 
E)  all of these may be caused by earthquakes 
A)  movement along faults 
B)  volcanic eruptions and magma movement 
C)  landslides 
D)  explosions and human activity 
E)  all of these may be caused by earthquakes

Question 15

In the trench pictured to the right, the information most important to a geologist studying a prehistoric earthquake is:

Accepted Answer

A)  there are layers of sediment and soil 
B)  the sediment is light colored 
C)  there is a vertical crack in the trench wall 
D)  the layers have been offset a measurable distance across a crack 
A)  there are layers of sediment and soil 
B)  the sediment is light colored 
C)  there is a vertical crack in the trench wall 
D)  the layers have been offset a measurable distance across a crack

Question 16

The image indicates that:

Accepted Answer

A)  two major zones exist for earthquake risk in the eastern United States 
B)  the risk for earthquakes in extreme southeast Missouri is very low 
C)  the eastern United States is under no risk for earthquakes 
D)  Florida has the highest risk for earthquakes along the east coast 
A)  two major zones exist for earthquake risk in the eastern United States 
B)  the risk for earthquakes in extreme southeast Missouri is very low 
C)  the eastern United States is under no risk for earthquakes 
D)  Florida has the highest risk for earthquakes along the east coast

Question 17

If an earthquake occurred near the oceanic trench in this figure, which one of the following hazards is likely to threaten the town of Ashton.

Accepted Answer

A)  destruction by a tsunami 
B)  liquefaction of soils and other weak materials because of shaking 
C)  landslides and other slope failures caused by shaking 
D)  all of these 
A)  destruction by a tsunami 
B)  liquefaction of soils and other weak materials because of shaking 
C)  landslides and other slope failures caused by shaking 
D)  all of these

Question 18

The image is a similar cross-section to the one developed by a USGS geologist after the large 1964 Alaska earthquake, showing how uplift from the earthquake was explained by thrusting of the continent over the oceanic crust. How did this support the development of the theory of plate tectonics?

Accepted Answer

A)  The motion indicated is the same as an ocean-continent convergent plate boundary with subduction, as is predicted for this area by plate tectonics. 
B)  The motion indicated is similar to what would be predicted by a divergent plate boundary in plate tectonics. 
C)  The USGS explanation from 1964 was so completely wrong that scientists knew they needed to develop a new theory to explain crustal motion. 
D)  The motion is transform plate boundary motion, which is the main type of boundary plate tectonics dictates for the southern coast of Alaska. 
A)  The motion indicated is the same as an ocean-continent convergent plate boundary with subduction, as is predicted for this area by plate tectonics. 
B)  The motion indicated is similar to what would be predicted by a divergent plate boundary in plate tectonics. 
C)  The USGS explanation from 1964 was so completely wrong that scientists knew they needed to develop a new theory to explain crustal motion. 
D)  The motion is transform plate boundary motion, which is the main type of boundary plate tectonics dictates for the southern coast of Alaska.

Question 19

If an earthquake occurred near the oceanic trench in this figure, which one of the following hazards is likely to threaten the town of White Sands?

Accepted Answer

A)  landslides and other slope failures caused by shaking 
B)  destruction by a tsunami 
C)  volcanic material erupted from lava mountain 
D)  all of these threaten the town of White Sands 
A)  landslides and other slope failures caused by shaking 
B)  destruction by a tsunami 
C)  volcanic material erupted from lava mountain 
D)  all of these threaten the town of White Sands

In order to provide an early warning system, which of the following is LEAST helpful in trying to predict a tsunami?

Most large earthquakes on subduction zones occur because of:

Shaking during an earthquake can:

This model of flow within Earth predicts that:

How do we determine the location of a recent earthquake?

Where do most earthquakes occur near mid-ocean ridges?

Why does the United States have such varying risks of seismic activity?

Which of the following is NOT true about some segments of the San Andreas fault?

As it grows, a fault rupture that began at depth:

Which of the following types of faults does NOT generate earthquakes?

Using this nomogram, what is the magnitude of an earthquake that is 500 km from a seismic station and has an amplitude of 0.2 mm?

Geologists can investigate the interior of the Earth by:

What is true about the earthquakes on this figure at points A and B)?

Earthquakes may be caused by:

In the trench pictured to the right, the information most important to a geologist studying a prehistoric earthquake is:

The image indicates that:

If an earthquake occurred near the oceanic trench in this figure, which one of the following hazards is likely to threaten the town of Ashton.

The image is a similar cross-section to the one developed by a USGS geologist after the large 1964 Alaska earthquake, showing how uplift from the earthquake was explained by thrusting of the continent over the oceanic crust. How did this support the development of the theory of plate tectonics?

If an earthquake occurred near the oceanic trench in this figure, which one of the following hazards is likely to threaten the town of White Sands?

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments

Deformation and Metamorphism

Geologic Time

Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, Basins, and Continents

Climate and Weathering

Glaciers, Shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Weathering, Soil, and Unstable Slopes

Streams and Flooding

Water Resources

Energy and Mineral Resources

Geology of the Solar System

Filters

Exam 12: Earthquakes and Earths Interior

In order to provide an early warning system, which of the following is LEAST helpful in trying to predict a tsunami?

Most large earthquakes on subduction zones occur because of:

Shaking during an earthquake can:

This model of flow within Earth predicts that:

How do we determine the location of a recent earthquake?

Where do most earthquakes occur near mid-ocean ridges?

Why does the United States have such varying risks of seismic activity?

Which of the following is NOT true about some segments of the San Andreas fault?

As it grows, a fault rupture that began at depth:

Which of the following types of faults does NOT generate earthquakes?

Using this nomogram, what is the magnitude of an earthquake that is 500 km from a seismic station and has an amplitude of 0.2 mm?

Geologists can investigate the interior of the Earth by:

What is true about the earthquakes on this figure at points A and B)?

Earthquakes may be caused by:

In the trench pictured to the right, the information most important to a geologist studying a prehistoric earthquake is:

The image indicates that:

If an earthquake occurred near the oceanic trench in this figure, which one of the following hazards is likely to threaten the town of Ashton.

The image is a similar cross-section to the one developed by a USGS geologist after the large 1964 Alaska earthquake, showing how uplift from the earthquake was explained by thrusting of the continent over the oceanic crust. How did this support the development of the theory of plate tectonics?

If an earthquake occurred near the oceanic trench in this figure, which one of the following hazards is likely to threaten the town of White Sands?

The Nature of Geology

Investigating Geologic Questions

Plate Tectonics

Earth Materials

Igneous Environments

Volcanoes and Volcanic Hazards

Sedimentary Environments

Deformation and Metamorphism

Geologic Time

Seafloor and Continental Margins

Mountains, Basins, and Continents

Climate and Weathering

Glaciers, Shorelines, and Changing Sea Levels

Weathering, Soil, and Unstable Slopes

Streams and Flooding

Water Resources

Energy and Mineral Resources

Geology of the Solar System

Filters