Earthquakes Quiz
1. What is the most common cause of earthquakes?
a) Atomic explosions
b) Faults
c) Landslides
d) Volcanoes
2. During an earthquake, energy radiates in concentric circles from its source outwards. This source is
called the:
a) Epicenter
b) Focus
c) Richter
d) Seismic Zone
3. The amount of damage in an earthquake is affected by:
a) The Construction of the Building
b) The Magnitude of the Earthquake
c) Underlying Geology
d) All of the above
4. The instrument that records the force and direction of earthquakes is a:
a) Barometer
b) Polygraph
c) Seismogram
d) Seismograph
5. Where do most large, damaging earthquakes occur?
a) Along mid-ocean ridges
b) Around the Pacific Ocean basin
c) In the asthenosphere
d) In the Atlantic Ocean basin
6. Which one of the following geologic settings is safest in an earthquake?
a) A Fault
b) Alluvium
c) Bay Fill and Mud
d) Bedrock
7. Which one of the following is NOT a secondary effect of an earthquake?
a) Aftershocks
b) Faulting
c) Fires
d) Landslides
e) Tsunamis
8. What caused most of the deaths associated with the 1964 Alaska earthquake?
a) Aftershocks
b) Fires
c) Landslides
d) Tsunami
9. Which is the safest building material for the walls of houses in an earthquake-prone area?
a) Adobe
b) Brick
c) Concrete Block
d) Wood Frame
10. An earthquake with a magnitude of 6.5 on the Richter scale releases how much more energy than a
magnitude 5.5 earthquake?
a) 30 X
b) 15 X
c) 10 X