ThatQuiz Test Library Take this test now
Earthquakes Quiz
Contributed by: Ochs
  • 1. The elastic rebound theory _____.
A) none of these
B) explains the sudden return of deformed rock to its original form
C) explains the origin of earthquakes
D) explains the behavior of seismic waves
  • 2. The point within the earth where seismic waves originate is called the _____.
A) fault scarp
B) focus
C) origin
D) epicenter
  • 3. P-waves are _____.
A) compressional surface waves
B) tensional surface waves
C) shearing body waves
D) transverse body waves
  • 4. The minimum number of seismic stations needed to pin-point the center of an earthquake is _____.
A) 3
B) 1
C) 4
D) 5
  • 5. The Richter scale is used to determine the _____.
A) magnitude of an earthquake
B) the intensity of an earthquake
C) the damage caused by a an earthquake
D) the total monetary damage caused by an earthquake.
  • 6. The Benioff Zone is located _____.
A) ancient mountain ranges
B) at mid-ocean ridges
C) none of these choices
D) subduction zones
  • 7. The fastest seismic waves are _____.
A) P-waves
B) Rayleigh waves
C) S-waves
D) Love waves
  • 8. Which of these states has a significant possibility for an earthquake to happen?
A) Minnesota
B) Arizona
C) Florida
D) Alaska
  • 9. When water saturated soil begins to act like a liquid during an earthquake, it is known as _____.
A) a landslide
B) compressional uplift
C) Rayleigh motion
D) liquefaction
  • 10. A piece of equipment used to record earthquake magnitude is called a _____.
A) Richter scale recorder
B) Mercalli scale recorder
C) seismogram
D) seismograph
  • 11. The scale used to measure earthquake intensity is called the _____.
A) Warren Intensity Scale
B) Richter Scale
C) Modified Mercalli Scale
D) Fujita Scale
  • 12. The point on the earth's surface directly above the location where an earthquake begins is called the _____.
A) fault
B) epicenter
C) origin
D) focus
  • 13. A break in the body of a rock which one slides relative to another is called a _____.
A) tsunami
B) fault
C) slide zone
D) hot spot
  • 14. The change in the shape of a rock due to applied stress is called _____.
A) tension
B) deformation
C) aftershock
D) seismology
  • 15. The shaking of the ground is known as _____.
A) an earthquake
B) P-waves
C) the epicenter
D) a fault murmur
  • 16. Minor shocks following the main shock of an earthquake are called _____.
A) earthquake tremors
B) S-waves
C) elastic rebound
D) aftershocks
  • 17. A person who studies earthquakes is called a _____.
A) paleontologist
B) tectonic specialist
C) seismologist
D) faultologist
  • 18. A convergent plate boundary is where _____.
A) two tectonic plates are moving past each other
B) new oceanic sea-floor is created
C) two tectonic plates collide with each other
D) two tectonic plates are moving away from each other
  • 19. A divergent plate boundary is where _____.
A) two tectonic plates are moving past each other
B) two tectonic plates collide with each other
C) where new mountain valleys are created
D) two tectonic plates are moving away from each other
  • 20. A transform plate boundary is where _____.
A) two tectonic plates are moving away from each other
B) two tectonic plates collide with each other
C) new oceanic sea-floor is created
D) two tectonic plates are moving past each other
  • 21. Which of the following is NOT a type of earthquake fault?
A) slide
B) reverse
C) strike-slip
D) normal
  • 22. The bending of rock layers due to stress is called _____.
A) folding
B) deformation
C) uplift
D) tension
  • 23. These seismic waves travel more slowly, but are more destructive.
A) none of the above
B) surface waves
C) P-waves
D) S-waves
  • 24. The amount of shaking that is felt from an earthquake depends on _____.
A) depth of the focus
B) distance from the epicenter
C) earth materials through which the waves move
D) all of these choices
  • 25. Which of the following is used to predict earthquakes?
A) changes in ground level
B) ground rupture
C) landslides
D) aftershocks
  • 26. A normal fault is one where _____.
A) the tectonic blocks demonstrate folding
B) no earthquakes ever occur
C) the block above the fault moves downward relative to the block below
D) one block slides past the other with no uplift
  • 27. A strike-slip fault is one where _____.
A) the block above the fault moves downward relative to the block below
B) no earthquakes ever occur
C) the blocks move past each other
D) the tectonic blocks demonstrate folding
  • 28. Large waves resulting from large scale sea floor movement caused by earthquakes are called _____.
A) kaiko
B) tsunami
C) bombora
D) nalu
  • 29. Earthquakes happen when rocks release stored _____.
A) batholith intrusions
B) energy
C) Rayleigh waves
D) magma
  • 30. Earthquakes only in occur in what layer of the earth?
A) mesosphere
B) core
C) lithosphere
D) ionosphere
Students who took this test also took :
Earth Science Vocab Multiple Choice
Lesson: fixing incorrect scientific notation
Earthquakes and plate movement unit 5
Created with That Quiz — where a math practice test is always one click away.