Multiple Choice
Identify the
letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
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1.
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A fault is ____. a. | a place on Earth
where earthquakes cannot occur | b. | a fracture in the Earth where movement has
occurred | c. | the place on Earth’s surface where structures move during
an earthquake | d. | another name for
an earthquake | | |
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2.
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An earthquake’s epicenter is ____. a. | the place on the
surface directly above the focus | b. | a spot halfway
between the focus and the surface | c. | the spot below the focus | d. | any spot along
the nearest fault | | |
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3.
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When
an earthquake occurs, energy radiates in all directions from its source, which is called the
____. a. | epicenter | c. | fault | b. | focus | d. | seismic center | | | | |
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4.
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The
hypothesis that explains the release of energy during an earthquake is called the
____. a. | Richter
hypothesis | c. | vibration
hypothesis | b. | moment magnitude hypothesis | d. | elastic rebound hypothesis | | | | |
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5.
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During an earthquake, the ground surface ____. a. | moves only in a
horizontal direction | b. | moves only in a vertical direction | c. | can move in any
direction | d. | does not move | | |
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6.
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The
adjustments of materials that follow a major earthquake often generate smaller earthquakes
called ____. a. | foreshocks | c. | aftershocks | b. | surface waves | d. | body waves | | | | |
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7.
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Major
earthquakes are sometimes preceded by smaller earthquakes called ____. a. | aftershocks | c. | surface
waves | b. | focus shocks | d. | foreshocks | | | | |
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8.
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Which
seismic waves travel most rapidly? a. | P waves | c. | surface waves | b. | S
waves | d. | tsunamis | | | | |
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9.
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Which
one of the following statements is true about P waves? a. | They travel only
through solids. | b. | They travel faster than S waves. | c. | They are the
most destructive type of seismic wave. | d. | They cannot be recorded on a
seismograph. | | |
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10.
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Which
seismic waves compress and expand rocks in the direction the waves travel? a. | P
waves | c. | surface
waves | b. | S waves | d. | transverse waves | | | | |
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11.
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Overall, which seismic waves are the most destructive? a. | P
waves | c. | compression
waves | b. | S waves | d. | surface waves | | | | |
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12.
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What
is the minimum number of seismic stations that is needed to determine the location of an
earthquake’s epicenter?
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13.
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A travel-time graph can be used to find the
____. a. | focus of an
earthquake | b. | strength of an
earthquake | c. | damage caused by an earthquake | d. | distance to the
epicenter of an earthquake | | |
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14.
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The
distance between a seismic station and the earthquake epicenter is determined from the ____.
a. | calculation of
the earthquake magnitude | b. | intensity of the earthquake | c. | arrival times of
P and S waves | d. | measurement of the amplitude of the surface
wave | | |
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15.
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What
instrument records earthquake waves? a. | seismogram | c. | Richter scale | b. | seismograph | d. | barometer | | | | |
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16.
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Most
of the information about Earth’s interior was obtained by studying ____. a. | earthquake
waves | c. | meteorites | b. | rocks of the ocean crust | d. | rocks in deep wells | | | | |
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17.
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Through which Earth layer are S waves NOT transmitted? a. | continental
crust | c. | inner
core | b. | ocean
crust | d. | outer
core | | | | |
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18.
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The
diagram shows a wave on a Slinky™.
Which type of
Earthquake wave has a similar motion?
a. | compressional wave | c. | primary wave | b. | cyclic
wave | d. | secondary
wave | | | | |
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19.
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Using
technological tools, which of the following can scientists predict? a. | the exact minute
an earthquake will occur in an area | c. | the exact date an earthquake will occur in an
area | b. | the risk that an
earthquake will occur in an area | d. | the locations of all future
earthquakes | | | | |
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