10 Questions
What instrument is used to detect ground vibrations and determine the magnitude of an earthquake?
Seismometers
How is earthquake magnitude calculated using the Richter Scale?
Using the height of the largest wave recorded on seismometers
What is the advantage of the Moment Magnitude Scale (Mw) over the Richter Scale (ML) when measuring earthquakes of magnitude 8 and above?
It rates earthquakes based on the total energy released during the earthquake
What causes stress to build at plate boundaries, eventually resulting in earthquakes?
Tectonic plates exerting friction on one another
What happens when the rocks can no longer contain the stress at plate boundaries?
The energy is released and causes the ground to vibrate violently
Why do earthquakes generally occur along plate boundaries?
Because plate boundaries contain deep fractures called faults
Which term refers to the point in the earth's crust where the energy is suddenly released during an earthquake?
Focus
What is the name for the smaller earthquakes that occur after the main shock along the fault line?
Aftershock
What do seismic waves refer to?
Waves of energy that travel through the Earth's layers
In the context of earthquakes, what does 'magnitude' refer to?
The amount of energy released by an earthquake (on the Richter Scale)
Test your knowledge of earthquake measurement and seismic waves with this quiz. Explore concepts such as the Richter Scale, seismic energy, seismometers, and the measurement of earthquake magnitude.
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