Question 1

The__________ is the seismic discontinuity that forms the boundary between the crust and mantle.

Accepted Answer

A)  Mono 
B)  Mojo 
C)  Moho 
D)  Moto 
A)  Mono 
B)  Mojo 
C)  Moho 
D)  Moto

Question 2

The largest lateral, ground displacement experienced at any location is produced by_______ .

Accepted Answer

A)  vertically vibrating P waves refracted across the Moho 
B)  first P arrival reflecting from the inner- outer core boundary 
C)  the S wave reflected from the core- mantle boundary 
D)  horizontally vibrating surface waves 
A)  vertically vibrating P waves refracted across the Moho 
B)  first P arrival reflecting from the inner- outer core boundary 
C)  the S wave reflected from the core- mantle boundary 
D)  horizontally vibrating surface waves

Question 3

If an earthquake occurred 2000 km away from a seismic station, how long after the earthquake would the station detect the P- wave arrival?

Accepted Answer

A)  2 min 
B)  2000 min 
C)  7.5 min 
D)  4 min 
A)  2 min 
B)  2000 min 
C)  7.5 min 
D)  4 min

Question 4

How does a seismograph detect vibrations from the passing wave front of an earthquake?

Accepted Answer

A)  The wave front seeks out the instrument which stops vibrating when the wave front reaches it. 
B)  The instrument is anchored to the ground or buried in a vault so that it is stationary with respect to the earth. When the instrument moves, the suspended mass inside is relatively stationary due to inertia. The relative motion registers the quake. 
C)  The instrument vibrates with the ground as it rolls along a track above the focus. 
D)  The whole instrument moves up and down (or back and forth) on the ground, so that it starts jiggling a little weight inside that trips the detector to record the earthquake. 
A)  The wave front seeks out the instrument which stops vibrating when the wave front reaches it. 
B)  The instrument is anchored to the ground or buried in a vault so that it is stationary with respect to the earth. When the instrument moves, the suspended mass inside is relatively stationary due to inertia. The relative motion registers the quake. 
C)  The instrument vibrates with the ground as it rolls along a track above the focus. 
D)  The whole instrument moves up and down (or back and forth) on the ground, so that it starts jiggling a little weight inside that trips the detector to record the earthquake.

Question 5

The top of the ________ is marked by the Moho discontinuity.

Accepted Answer

A)  outer core 
B)  inner core 
C)  crust 
D)  mantle 
A)  outer core 
B)  inner core 
C)  crust 
D)  mantle

Question 6

____________refers to the tendency for a foundation material to lose its internal cohesion and fail mechanically during earthquake shaking.

Accepted Answer

A)  Seismoflowage 
B)  Liquefaction 
C)  Ooey- gooefication 
D)  Slurrying 
A)  Seismoflowage 
B)  Liquefaction 
C)  Ooey- gooefication 
D)  Slurrying

Question 7

How deep are the deepest earthquakes?

Accepted Answer

A)  < 5 km 
B)  70- 300 km 
C)  5- 70 km 
D)  300- 700 km 
A)  < 5 km 
B)  70- 300 km 
C)  5- 70 km 
D)  300- 700 km

Question 8

The Mercalli Scale is a scale from____________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  I to XII that rates the structural damage due to an earthquake 
B)  I to X that rates the total energy released during the main quake and all aftershocks 
C)  1 to 12 that rates the energy required for faulting to occur 
D)  1 to 10 that rates the energy released by an earthquake 
A)  I to XII that rates the structural damage due to an earthquake 
B)  I to X that rates the total energy released during the main quake and all aftershocks 
C)  1 to 12 that rates the energy required for faulting to occur 
D)  1 to 10 that rates the energy released by an earthquake

Question 9

Why was building damage so extensive in the 1985 Mexico City quake?

Accepted Answer

A)  Much of the city is built on lake silts and former swampland that vibrated with the same 2 second period as, and amplified the incoming surface waves. 
B)  The epicentre was right in the city. 
C)  The Richter magnitude was 8.8, and the focus was only 25 km from the city. 
D)  The steel frame buildings were rigid and lacked the flexibility to withstand lateral swaying during even a moderate magnitude quake. 
A)  Much of the city is built on lake silts and former swampland that vibrated with the same 2 second period as, and amplified the incoming surface waves. 
B)  The epicentre was right in the city. 
C)  The Richter magnitude was 8.8, and the focus was only 25 km from the city. 
D)  The steel frame buildings were rigid and lacked the flexibility to withstand lateral swaying during even a moderate magnitude quake.

Question 10

Which of the following statements is true?

Accepted Answer

A)  Tsunamis lose little of their energy moving long distances through open water, so they can present serious threats to low lying coastal areas, even thousands of kilometres from the location of the initiating earthquake or submarine landslide. 
B)  Tsunamis only travel short distances so coastal areas have to be close to the epicentre to be in any real danger. 
C)  Tsunamis are only serious threats to low lying coastal areas near an earthquake epicentre because the waves have lost most of their energy after moving across 100 kilometres of open water. 
D)  Tsunamis stop when they reach a shoreline so people are safe as long as they stay inland. 
A)  Tsunamis lose little of their energy moving long distances through open water, so they can present serious threats to low lying coastal areas, even thousands of kilometres from the location of the initiating earthquake or submarine landslide. 
B)  Tsunamis only travel short distances so coastal areas have to be close to the epicentre to be in any real danger. 
C)  Tsunamis are only serious threats to low lying coastal areas near an earthquake epicentre because the waves have lost most of their energy after moving across 100 kilometres of open water. 
D)  Tsunamis stop when they reach a shoreline so people are safe as long as they stay inland.

Question 11

A shallow- focus, large earthquake occurs directly under the South Pole. A seismic station at the North Pole would receive _________.

Accepted Answer

A)  neither P waves nor S waves from the quake 
B)  both P waves and S waves from this quake separated in arrival times by two minutes 
C)  P waves from this quake but no S waves would be detected 
D)  S waves from this quake but not P waves 
A)  neither P waves nor S waves from the quake 
B)  both P waves and S waves from this quake separated in arrival times by two minutes 
C)  P waves from this quake but no S waves would be detected 
D)  S waves from this quake but not P waves

Question 12

The __________is a direct measure of the distance from a seismic station to the focus of a distant earthquake.

Accepted Answer

A)  time elapsed between the first P- wave arrivals from the first and last aftershocks 
B)  time interval between the first P and S- wave arrivals 
C)  magnitude of the ground acceleration of surface wave passing a station 
D)  how long before the earthquake your animals started acting agitated 
A)  time elapsed between the first P- wave arrivals from the first and last aftershocks 
B)  time interval between the first P and S- wave arrivals 
C)  magnitude of the ground acceleration of surface wave passing a station 
D)  how long before the earthquake your animals started acting agitated

Question 13

________discovered the crust- mantle seismic discontinuity in__________ , proving that the Earth was not internally homogeneous but layered.

Accepted Answer

A)  Beno Gutenberg; 1914 
B)  Andrija Mohorovicic; 1909 
C)  Arne Sachnussen, 1885 
D)  Charles Richter; 1935 
A)  Beno Gutenberg; 1914 
B)  Andrija Mohorovicic; 1909 
C)  Arne Sachnussen, 1885 
D)  Charles Richter; 1935

Question 14

In collecting historic and geologic data on the geographic extent of rupture zones for great earthquakes_____________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  zones of rupture for a singe great earthquake string out along the fault intermittently with intact regions like tears on a dotted line 
B)  zones of rupture tend to be the same size and are sequentially located along the entire length of the fault, clearly indicating exactly which area is the next to break 
C)  a clear pattern is bound to emerge eventually, if only we wait long enough 
D)  individual rupture zones tend to occur adjacent to one another, without appreciable overlap, tracing out the plate boundary 
A)  zones of rupture for a singe great earthquake string out along the fault intermittently with intact regions like tears on a dotted line 
B)  zones of rupture tend to be the same size and are sequentially located along the entire length of the fault, clearly indicating exactly which area is the next to break 
C)  a clear pattern is bound to emerge eventually, if only we wait long enough 
D)  individual rupture zones tend to occur adjacent to one another, without appreciable overlap, tracing out the plate boundary

Question 15

What amplitude would a ML6.0 earthquake with a 50 sec S- P arrival difference show on a seismogram?

Accepted Answer

A)  50 mm 
B)  10 mm 
C)  20 mm 
D)  5 mm 
A)  50 mm 
B)  10 mm 
C)  20 mm 
D)  5 mm

Question 16

Approximately how many years must elapse before all segments of the Pacific- North America boundary build up and release enough strain as great earthquakes, to trace out the entire plate boundary?

Accepted Answer

A)  50 
B)  5 
C)  200 
D)  20 
A)  50 
B)  5 
C)  200 
D)  20

Question 17

What happens inside a rock as a wave front from an S wave passes through?

Accepted Answer

A)  The volume of the rock stays fixed, but it shears back and forth, distorting the rocks internal shape as the wave passes through. 
B)  The rock moves toward and away from the earthquake as the volume of the material alternately expands and contracts, changing the rock's density while the compression- rarefaction wave passes through. 
C)  The little parcel of rock shimmies from side to side as the wave passes, with the greatest motion at the Earth's surface, dying out with depth. 
D)  The little parcel of rock rotates about its own location in an ellipse until the wave passes. 
A)  The volume of the rock stays fixed, but it shears back and forth, distorting the rocks internal shape as the wave passes through. 
B)  The rock moves toward and away from the earthquake as the volume of the material alternately expands and contracts, changing the rock's density while the compression- rarefaction wave passes through. 
C)  The little parcel of rock shimmies from side to side as the wave passes, with the greatest motion at the Earth's surface, dying out with depth. 
D)  The little parcel of rock rotates about its own location in an ellipse until the wave passes.

Question 18

How is Moment Magnitude (MW ) calculated?

Accepted Answer

A)  from average fault displacement, average fault rupture area, and rock shear strength in the fault zone or by measuring very long period waves on special long period seismometers, triggered to record only very large earthquakes 
B)  from surface wave magnitude measured one minute after the first P- wave arrival 
C)  from the amount of building or other infrastructure damage in large earthquakes with more than one minute of of ground shaking 
D)  from S- wave magnitude measured one minute before the last P- wave arrival 
A)  from average fault displacement, average fault rupture area, and rock shear strength in the fault zone or by measuring very long period waves on special long period seismometers, triggered to record only very large earthquakes 
B)  from surface wave magnitude measured one minute after the first P- wave arrival 
C)  from the amount of building or other infrastructure damage in large earthquakes with more than one minute of of ground shaking 
D)  from S- wave magnitude measured one minute before the last P- wave arrival

Question 19

Most large earthquakes result from__________ .

Accepted Answer

A)  explosions and detonations of military ordnance especially of nuclear weapons 
B)  impacts of meteorites from outer space 
C)  the wavelike vibration of the Earth in response to the rapid release of stored elastic energy in deformed rocks 
D)  storm waves and tsunamis crashing onto the shoreline so hard that the earth shakes 
A)  explosions and detonations of military ordnance especially of nuclear weapons 
B)  impacts of meteorites from outer space 
C)  the wavelike vibration of the Earth in response to the rapid release of stored elastic energy in deformed rocks 
D)  storm waves and tsunamis crashing onto the shoreline so hard that the earth shakes

Question 20

Which one the following does not propagate through liquids?

Accepted Answer

A)  seismic sea waves 
B)  P waves 
C)  converted inner core waves 
D)  S waves 
A)  seismic sea waves 
B)  P waves 
C)  converted inner core waves 
D)  S waves

The__________ is the seismic discontinuity that forms the boundary between the crust and mantle.

The largest lateral, ground displacement experienced at any location is produced by_______ .

If an earthquake occurred 2000 km away from a seismic station, how long after the earthquake would the station detect the P- wave arrival?

How does a seismograph detect vibrations from the passing wave front of an earthquake?

The top of the ________ is marked by the Moho discontinuity.

____________refers to the tendency for a foundation material to lose its internal cohesion and fail mechanically during earthquake shaking.

How deep are the deepest earthquakes?

The Mercalli Scale is a scale from____________ .

Why was building damage so extensive in the 1985 Mexico City quake?

Which of the following statements is true?

A shallow- focus, large earthquake occurs directly under the South Pole. A seismic station at the North Pole would receive _________.

The __________is a direct measure of the distance from a seismic station to the focus of a distant earthquake.

discovered the crust- mantle seismic discontinuity in__ , proving that the Earth was not internally homogeneous but layered.

In collecting historic and geologic data on the geographic extent of rupture zones for great earthquakes_____________ .

What amplitude would a ML6.0 earthquake with a 50 sec S- P arrival difference show on a seismogram?

Approximately how many years must elapse before all segments of the Pacific- North America boundary build up and release enough strain as great earthquakes, to trace out the entire plate boundary?

What happens inside a rock as a wave front from an S wave passes through?

How is Moment Magnitude (MW ) calculated?

Most large earthquakes result from__________ .

Which one the following does not propagate through liquids?

An Introduction to Geology and Plate Tectonics

Minerals: the Building Blocks of Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Volcanoes and Volcanic Processes

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks

Geologic Time

Crustal Deformation

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

The Ocean Floor

Plate Tectonics: the Framework for Modern Geology

Mountain Building and Continental Frameworks

Mass Wasting: the Work of Gravity

Running Water

Groundwater

Glaciers and Glaciation

Deserts and Winds

Shorelines

Mineral and Energy Resources

Filters

Exam 5: Weathering and Soil

The__________ is the seismic discontinuity that forms the boundary between the crust and mantle.

The largest lateral, ground displacement experienced at any location is produced by_______ .

If an earthquake occurred 2000 km away from a seismic station, how long after the earthquake would the station detect the P- wave arrival?

How does a seismograph detect vibrations from the passing wave front of an earthquake?

The top of the ________ is marked by the Moho discontinuity.

____________refers to the tendency for a foundation material to lose its internal cohesion and fail mechanically during earthquake shaking.

How deep are the deepest earthquakes?

The Mercalli Scale is a scale from____________ .

Why was building damage so extensive in the 1985 Mexico City quake?

Which of the following statements is true?

A shallow- focus, large earthquake occurs directly under the South Pole. A seismic station at the North Pole would receive _________.

The __________is a direct measure of the distance from a seismic station to the focus of a distant earthquake.

________discovered the crust- mantle seismic discontinuity in__________ , proving that the Earth was not internally homogeneous but layered.

In collecting historic and geologic data on the geographic extent of rupture zones for great earthquakes_____________ .

What amplitude would a ML6.0 earthquake with a 50 sec S- P arrival difference show on a seismogram?

Approximately how many years must elapse before all segments of the Pacific- North America boundary build up and release enough strain as great earthquakes, to trace out the entire plate boundary?

What happens inside a rock as a wave front from an S wave passes through?

How is Moment Magnitude (MW ) calculated?

Most large earthquakes result from__________ .

Which one the following does not propagate through liquids?

An Introduction to Geology and Plate Tectonics

Minerals: the Building Blocks of Rocks

Igneous Rocks

Volcanoes and Volcanic Processes

Sedimentary Rocks

Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks

Geologic Time

Crustal Deformation

Earthquakes and Earths Interior

The Ocean Floor

Plate Tectonics: the Framework for Modern Geology

Mountain Building and Continental Frameworks

Mass Wasting: the Work of Gravity

Running Water

Groundwater

Glaciers and Glaciation

Deserts and Winds

Shorelines

Mineral and Energy Resources

Filters

discovered the crust- mantle seismic discontinuity in__ , proving that the Earth was not internally homogeneous but layered.