40 Questions
What is the main cause of an earthquake?
Sudden movement of tectonic plates along a fault
Which type of fault experiences vertical motion where one block moves upwards relative to the other?
Thrust or Reverse fault
What type of stress is generated by rock pulling apart from each other?
Tensional stress
Which type of earthquake is triggered by nearby volcanic activity?
Volcanic earthquake
What causes the rocks to crack and increase space during the elastic build-up stage of an earthquake?
Forced extraction of water
Which seismic wave type causes elliptical shaking of the Earth and gets weaker with depth?
Rayleigh wave
What is the focus of an earthquake?
The point underground where an earthquake originates
Which belt accounts for more than 81% of the earthquakes in the world?
Ring of Fire
What type of waves are P-waves?
Compression waves
What is the name for an instrument that records ground-shaking activity caused by earthquakes on the Earth's surface?
Seismometer
What causes a shift in the rocks of Earth's crust, resulting in minor earthquakes?
Underground explosions
What are seismic waves that travel through the Earth's interior and not along its surface called?
Primary waves
What is the main theory of plate tectonics?
The earth's crust is broken up into tectonic plates
What is the name given to the mobile earth's crust pieces?
'Tectonic plates'
What was the purpose of the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP)?
To analyze ocean floor samples for evidence of plate tectonics
Which decade introduced the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP)?
The 1960s
What type of vessel was used for the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP)?
Research vessel called the Glomar Challenger
What did the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) drill core samples from?
The ocean floor
What is seafloor spreading?
The upwelling of magma through diverging tectonic plates, forming new oceanic crust
What evidence from the samples taken from the Mid-Atlantic Ridge supported the seafloor spreading theory?
The rocks found were very young, and got older farther away from the crest
What drives the motion of tectonic plates?
Convection within the earth's mantle
Where do most earthquakes occur?
At the boundaries between different tectonic plates
What are tsunamis and how are they related to earthquakes?
Tsunamis are a series of large water waves caused by underwater earthquakes
What is the hypocenter of an earthquake?
The geographic location and depth where the earthquake starts
What type of seismic waves cause the most damage during an earthquake?
Surface waves
What is the primary reason scientists are unable to predict when earthquakes will occur?
Tectonic plates are constantly moving and unpredictable.
Which earthquake measurement scale is based on seismic movement rather than wave amplitude?
Moment Magnitude Scale
What is the primary cause of earthquakes?
Sudden slipping of Earth's crust
What is the main difference between foreshocks and aftershocks?
Foreshocks occur before a mainshock, while aftershocks occur after.
What type of seismic waves move along the surface in a snake-like motion?
Love waves
What is the main factor that determines the classification of a quake as a mainshock, foreshock, or aftershock?
Magnitude of the quake
What is the primary cause of aftershocks according to the text?
Passing on of energy from a mainshock to nearby rocks
How long can aftershocks last after a mainshock takes place?
Up to years
What does the Richter scale measure?
Intensity and magnitude of an earthquake
Who invented the Richter scale?
Charles Richter
What does the Richter scale range measure earthquakes from?
1 (weakest) to 10 (strongest)
What tool is used to detect and record earthquakes?
Seismograph
What does the accuracy of the Richter scale depend on?
The location of the earthquake
Why is the measurement of energy released underestimated when using the Richter scale for higher magnitude earthquakes?
The seismograph becomes less sensitive for higher magnitudes
What does a logarithmic increase in earthquake magnitude on the Richter scale result in terms of energy intensity?
Increase in energy intensity by 32 times
Learn about the areas around the world that are more likely to experience an earthquake and how scientists use data from previous earthquakes to predict where and when an earthquake may occur.
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