Question 1

Aftershocks after a major earthquake

Accepted Answer

A)  may continue for days,weeks,or years after the initial earthquake. 
B)  are equivalent in magnitude to the original earthquake. 
C)  always occur on the same fault as the original earthquake. 
D)  typically occur only on reverse faults in subduction zones as a result of high pressures. 
A)  may continue for days,weeks,or years after the initial earthquake. 
B)  are equivalent in magnitude to the original earthquake. 
C)  always occur on the same fault as the original earthquake. 
D)  typically occur only on reverse faults in subduction zones as a result of high pressures. A

Question 2

Most medium- and deep-focus earthquakes occur at

Accepted Answer

A)  convergent-plate boundaries. 
B)  divergent-plate boundaries. 
C)  transform-plate boundaries. 
D)  hot spots. 
A)  convergent-plate boundaries. 
B)  divergent-plate boundaries. 
C)  transform-plate boundaries. 
D)  hot spots. A

Question 3

Describe two earthquake-related hazards.

Accepted Answer

Student answers should include two of the following.Earthquakes involve ground shaking,which can be extremely detrimental to human structures.Landslides can result from seismic shaking.Liquefaction happens when ground shaking causes sand grains to try to settle more tightly together,which allows water pressure to build up so that it pushes the grains apart,causing the once-solid ground to behave like quicksand; this can cause damage to structures.Fires have been associated with earthquakes because ground shaking can upset open flames,topple power lines,and rupture gas lines; all of these can start a fire.Tsunamis are large waves that are triggered by displacement of seawater; they are associated with earthquakes that take place near coastal regions.After the earthquake is over,disease may threaten lives in an earthquake-damaged region.

Question 4

Body waves include

Accepted Answer

A)  both S- and P-waves. 
B)  both L- and R-waves. 
C)  both surface and interior waves. 
D)  P-waves only. 
A)  both S- and P-waves. 
B)  both L- and R-waves. 
C)  both surface and interior waves. 
D)  P-waves only.

Question 5

If you are trapped inside during an earthquake,where should you NOT be?

Accepted Answer

A)  next to a large bookcase 
B)  under a table 
C)  in the center of an open room 
D)  in a door frame 
A)  next to a large bookcase 
B)  under a table 
C)  in the center of an open room 
D)  in a door frame

Question 6

During an earthquake,if a footwall slides upward relative to a hanging wall (as shown in the figure below),the fault is termed a ________ fault.

Accepted Answer

A)  normal 
B)  reverse 
C)  strike-slip 
D)  thrust 
A)  normal 
B)  reverse 
C)  strike-slip 
D)  thrust

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT true concerning the long-term predictions of earthquakes?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are based on past earthquake activity. 
B)  They work on the principle that zones of past seismicity will be active in the future. 
C)  They include the notion of seismic gaps-places where an earthquake is overdue. 
D)  They allow city planners to schedule evacuations up to a year in advance. 
A)  They are based on past earthquake activity. 
B)  They work on the principle that zones of past seismicity will be active in the future. 
C)  They include the notion of seismic gaps-places where an earthquake is overdue. 
D)  They allow city planners to schedule evacuations up to a year in advance.

Question 8

Compare and contrast P- and S-waves.

Accepted Answer

P-waves and S-waves are both body waves.

Question 9

The point within the Earth where an earthquake originates is termed the

Accepted Answer

A)  hypocenter (focus). 
B)  epicenter. 
C)  eye of the fault. 
D)  vertex. 
A)  hypocenter (focus). 
B)  epicenter. 
C)  eye of the fault. 
D)  vertex.

Question 10

The quantity of motion that occurs along a fault is termed

Accepted Answer

A)  fault gouge. 
B)  the fault gauge. 
C)  slip. 
D)  accumulation. 
A)  fault gouge. 
B)  the fault gauge. 
C)  slip. 
D)  accumulation.

Question 11

Earthquake waves that pass through the Earth's interior are termed

Accepted Answer

A)  interior waves. 
B)  R-waves. 
C)  surface waves. 
D)  body waves. 
A)  interior waves. 
B)  R-waves. 
C)  surface waves. 
D)  body waves.

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

A)  9 
B)  5 
C)  7 
D)  4 
A)  9 
B)  5 
C)  7 
D)  4

Question 13

Tsunamis are more destructive than wind-driven storm waves primarily because

Accepted Answer

A)  tsunamis always have larger heights (amplitude). 
B)  tsunamis have longer wavelengths and thus larger volumes of water are involved. 
C)  the tides that cause tsunamis can be very erratic and unpredictable. 
D)  tsunamis also generate seismic waves that can destroy buildings. 
A)  tsunamis always have larger heights (amplitude). 
B)  tsunamis have longer wavelengths and thus larger volumes of water are involved. 
C)  the tides that cause tsunamis can be very erratic and unpredictable. 
D)  tsunamis also generate seismic waves that can destroy buildings.

Question 14

Which of the following is NOT true regarding earthquakes and destruction?

Accepted Answer

A)  The bigger the earthquake,the greater the destruction will be. 
B)  The type of construction used will influence how damaging an earthquake can be. 
C)  The nature of the substrate will influence how damaging an earthquake is. 
D)  Seismic retrofitting can reduce the destruction caused by an earthquake. 
A)  The bigger the earthquake,the greater the destruction will be. 
B)  The type of construction used will influence how damaging an earthquake can be. 
C)  The nature of the substrate will influence how damaging an earthquake is. 
D)  Seismic retrofitting can reduce the destruction caused by an earthquake.

Question 15

During an earthquake,if a hanging wall slides upward relative to a footwall,the fault is termed a ________ fault if the fault is shallow (much closer to horizontal than vertical).Refer to the figure below for an example of such a feature.

Accepted Answer

A)  normal 
B)  reverse 
C)  strike-slip 
D)  thrust 
A)  normal 
B)  reverse 
C)  strike-slip 
D)  thrust

Question 16

Most earthquakes are a result of

Accepted Answer

A)  a sudden change in atmospheric pressure. 
B)  mantle upwelling. 
C)  erosion. 
D)  lithospheric plate movement. 
A)  a sudden change in atmospheric pressure. 
B)  mantle upwelling. 
C)  erosion. 
D)  lithospheric plate movement.

Question 17

A __________ shows deflections traced by a seismometer,which provides a record of an earthquake.

Accepted Answer

A)  seismograph 
B)  Mercalli 
C)  readout 
D)  shake map 
A)  seismograph 
B)  Mercalli 
C)  readout 
D)  shake map

Question 18

The intersection between a fault plane and the ground surface is called the

Accepted Answer

A)  dip line. 
B)  plunge. 
C)  fault trace. 
D)  seismic interface. 
A)  dip line. 
B)  plunge. 
C)  fault trace. 
D)  seismic interface.

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

A)  displacement 
B)  collapse 
C)  liquefaction 
D)  faulting 
A)  displacement 
B)  collapse 
C)  liquefaction 
D)  faulting

Question 20

Which magnitude scale is considered the most accurate? Hint: It uses the amplitudes of several different waves,the amount of slip,and the dimensions of the slipped area on the fault.

Accepted Answer

A)  the Richter scale 
B)  the Mercalli scale 
C)  the moment magnitude scale 
D)  the surface-wave magnitude scale 
A)  the Richter scale 
B)  the Mercalli scale 
C)  the moment magnitude scale 
D)  the surface-wave magnitude scale

Exam 10: A Violent Pulse: Earthquakes

Aftershocks after a major earthquake

Most medium- and deep-focus earthquakes occur at

Describe two earthquake-related hazards.

Body waves include

If you are trapped inside during an earthquake,where should you NOT be?

During an earthquake,if a footwall slides upward relative to a hanging wall (as shown in the figure below),the fault is termed a ________ fault.

Which of the following is NOT true concerning the long-term predictions of earthquakes?

Compare and contrast P- and S-waves.

The point within the Earth where an earthquake originates is termed the

The quantity of motion that occurs along a fault is termed

Earthquake waves that pass through the Earth's interior are termed

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

Tsunamis are more destructive than wind-driven storm waves primarily because

Which of the following is NOT true regarding earthquakes and destruction?

During an earthquake,if a hanging wall slides upward relative to a footwall,the fault is termed a ________ fault if the fault is shallow (much closer to horizontal than vertical).Refer to the figure below for an example of such a feature.

Most earthquakes are a result of

A __________ shows deflections traced by a seismometer,which provides a record of an earthquake.

The intersection between a fault plane and the ground surface is called the

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

Which magnitude scale is considered the most accurate? Hint: It uses the amplitudes of several different waves,the amount of slip,and the dimensions of the slipped area on the fault.

Cosmology and the Birth of the Earth

Journey to the Center of the Earth

Drifting Continents and Spreading Seas

The Way the Earth Works: Plate Tectonics

Patterns in Nature: Minerals

Up From the Inferno: Magma and Igneous Rocks

Pages of Earths Past: Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphism: a Process of Change

The Wrath of Vulcan: Volcanic Eruptions

Crags,cracks,and Crumples: Crustal Deformation and Mountain Building

Deep Time: How Old Is Old

A Biography of the Earth

Squeezing Power From a Stone: Energy Resources

Riches in Rock: Mineral Resources

Unsafe Ground: Landslides and Other Mass Movements

Streams and Floods: the Geology of Running Water

Restless Realm: Oceans and Coasts

A Hidden Reserve: Groundwater

An Envelope of Gas: the Earths Atmosphere and Climate

Dry Regions: the Geology of Deserts

Amazing Ice: Glaciers and Ice Ages

Global Change in the Earth System

Introducing Rocks

a Surface Veneer: Sediments and Soils

the Rock Cycle in the Earth System

the Earths Interior, Revisited: Seismic Layering, Gravity, and the Magnetic Field

Memories of Past Life: Fossils and Evolution

Ever-Changing Landscapes and the Hydrologic Cycle

Prelude: and Just What Is Geology

Filters

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