Earthquakes and Tectonic Plates
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Questions and Answers

Where do earthquakes typically occur?

  • On the Earth's surface
  • At the Earth's core
  • In the Earth's atmosphere
  • Along tectonic plates within the Earth's lithosphere (correct)

    • What is the fifth step of the earthquake sequence?

  • Aftershocks (correct)
  • Fault rupture
  • Focus formation
  • Seismic wave propagation

    • What type of waves travel through the interior of the Earth?

  • Rayleigh waves
  • Seismic waves
  • Love waves
  • P- and S-waves (correct)

    • What is the theory that explains how earthquakes occur?

    <p>Elastic rebound theory</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the location on Earth's surface above the focus called?

    <p>Epicenter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Where do most earthquakes occur?

    <p>In one of three regions: the Ring of Fire, the Alpide Belt, or the Oceanic Ridge Belt</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most common gas emitted during a volcanic eruption?

    <p>Water vapor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the effect of sulfur dioxide aerosols on the environment?

    <p>It contributes to acid rain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What determines the viscosity of lava?

    <p>The amount of silica present</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for dense collections of rock fragments, ash, and gases that result from highly explosive eruptions at volcanoes?

    <p>Pyroclastic flows</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the difference between pyroclastic flows and pyroclastic surges?

    <p>Pyroclastic surges are faster and have more gases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the volcanic particles in a pyroclastic flow?

    <p>Tephra</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main cause of most earthquakes?

    <p>Slipping of tectonic plates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the device used to measure seismic activity?

    <p>Seismograph</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of seismic wave is the fastest and moves longitudinally?

    <p>P-wave</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most accurate scale used to measure the size and strength of an earthquake?

    <p>Moment Magnitude Scale</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the largest quake in a series of earthquakes?

    <p>Mainshock</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who developed the Richter scale in 1935?

    <p>Charles Richter</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Richter scale measure?

    <p>The intensity or magnitude of an earthquake</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the advantage of the moment magnitude scale over the Richter scale?

    <p>It is more accurate for medium to high-intensity earthquakes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the effect of an increase in magnitude by one unit on the Richter scale?

    <p>A 10-fold increase in ground shaking</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a possible consequence of an earthquake on the ocean floor?

    <p>A tsunami</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between composite cones and lava domes?

    <p>All of the above</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the gases released during a volcanic eruption when the magma is released onto the Earth's surface?

    <p>They are released into the atmosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a major characteristic of pyroclastic flows that makes them very deadly?

    <p>They move quickly and can be difficult to escape from.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the debris that is ejected from a volcano?

    <p>Tephra</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a volcanic hazard that can be triggered by a landslide?

    <p>Tsunami</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the appearance or quality of light reflected from the surface of a mineral?

    <p>Luster</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of pyroclastic surges that makes them deadly?

    <p>High proportion of gas</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between transparent and translucent minerals?

    <p>Their ability to transmit light and image</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic that distinguishes pyroclastic surges from pyroclastic flows?

    <p>Higher proportion of gas than rock</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the larger rock fragments and particles ejected from a volcano?

    <p>Tephra</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the property of a mineral that refers to its resistance to breaking?

    <p>Tenacity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the scale used to measure the hardness of a mineral?

    <p>Mohs Scale</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the tendency of a mineral to break along planes and form flat sheets of material?

    <p>Cleavage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the property of a mineral that refers to its mass per unit volume?

    <p>Density</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of an equal volume of water?

    <p>Specific Gravity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of silicate minerals that makes them the largest class of rock-forming minerals?

    <p>All of the above</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the basic building block of all silicate minerals?

    <p>Silica tetrahedron</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of minerals that refers to their unique combination of atoms?

    <p>Defined chemical composition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the Richter scale measure?

    <p>The intensity or magnitude of an earthquake</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the energy released by earthquakes with each unit increase in magnitude on the Richter scale?

    <p>It increases by 32 times</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Why is the moment magnitude scale more accurate for higher-intensity earthquakes?

    <p>Because it uses the seismic moment to measure intensity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What can happen if an earthquake occurs on the ocean floor?

    <p>A tsunami can be triggered</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between composite cones and lava domes?

    <p>Their eruptive style and explosiveness</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to the gases released during a volcanic eruption when the magma is released onto the Earth's surface?

    <p>They escape and cause damage to the earth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the most common gas emitted during a volcanic eruption?

    <p>Water vapor</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What determines the viscosity of lava?

    <p>The concentration of silica</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for dense collections of rock fragments, ash, and gases that result from highly explosive eruptions at volcanoes?

    <p>Pyroclastic flows</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between pyroclastic flows and pyroclastic surges?

    <p>The percentage of gases</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the volcanic particles in a pyroclastic flow?

    <p>Tephra</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is a characteristic of pyroclastic surges that makes them deadly?

    <p>Their unpredictability</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary cause of stress or pressure release during an earthquake?

    <p>Motion along a fault</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What type of faults are not typically located on land or underwater?

    <p>Intraplate faults</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the giant ocean waves that can be triggered by underwater earthquakes?

    <p>Tsunamis</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the direction of propagation of seismic waves from the focus of an earthquake?

    <p>Away from the focus</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two types of seismic waves that travel only on the Earth's surface?

    <p>Rayleigh and Love waves</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the large sections of rock that make up the Earth's crust?

    <p>Tectonic plates</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary cause of stress buildup around fault lines?

    <p>The movement of tectonic plates towards each other</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the type of seismic wave that moves in a snake-like motion across the Earth's surface?

    <p>Love wave</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main difference between the Richter scale and the moment magnitude scale?

    <p>The Richter scale uses only seismic activity data, while the moment magnitude scale uses seismic activity and fault data</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the smaller earthquake that occurs following a mainshock?

    <p>Aftershock</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the name of the device that creates a seismogram, a recording of an earthquake's movements?

    <p>Seismograph</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the location where two tectonic plates meet?

    <p>Fault</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic of pyroclastic flows that makes them deadly?

    <p>Their ability to kill people with toxic gases and destroy property by setting it on fire</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the debris that is carried in a landslide and can mix with water to become a lahar?

    <p>Rock fragments, soil, and debris</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the appearance or quality of light reflected from the surface of a mineral?

    <p>Luster</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary difference between pyroclastic surges and pyroclastic flows?

    <p>Pyroclastic surges contain a higher proportion of gas than pyroclastic flows</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the large rock fragments and particles ejected from a volcano?

    <p>Tephra</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic of pyroclastic surges that makes them deadly?

    <p>The presence of highly heated toxic gases capable of causing asphyxiation</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary characteristic of a volcanic hazard that is triggered by a landslide?

    <p>It can trigger a tsunami</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term used to describe the larger rock fragments and particles ejected from a volcano?

    <p>Tephra</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the property of a mineral that refers to its resistance to breaking?

    <p>Tenacity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the scale used to measure the hardness of a mineral?

    <p>Mohs Scale</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of an equal volume of water?

    <p>Specific gravity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of silicate minerals that makes them the largest class of rock-forming minerals?

    <p>Their ability to form rocks when molten magma cools</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the basic building block of all silicate minerals?

    <p>Silica tetrahedron</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the property of a mineral that refers to its mass per unit volume?

    <p>Density</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the term for the tendency of a mineral to break along planes and form flat sheets of material?

    <p>Cleavage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the characteristic of minerals that refers to their unique combination of atoms?

    <p>Their defined chemical composition</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Earthquakes and Tectonic Plates

    • Earthquakes occur along tectonic plates within the Earth's lithosphere, and can also occur on land or underwater due to intraplate faults.
    • There are three types of faults: reverse, normal, and strike-slip.
    • Underwater earthquakes can trigger tsunamis, which can cause significant damage.
    • The five steps of a typical tectonic earthquake are:
      • Stress builds up along a fault.
      • The fault ruptures, releasing energy in the form of seismic waves.
      • Seismic waves propagate away from the focus or origin of the event.
      • Seismic waves can travel through the interior of the Earth (body waves) or only on the surface (surface waves).
      • Aftershocks can occur for years after the main event.

    Earth's Outermost Layer

    • The Earth's crust is made up of large sections of rock known as tectonic plates.
    • These plates fit together like a giant puzzle and float on top of the fluid layer of convection currents underground.
    • The place underground where an earthquake occurs is called the focus, and the location on the Earth's surface above the focus is the epicenter.
    • Earthquakes can occur anywhere, but most occur in one of three regions: the Ring of Fire, the Alpide Belt, or the Oceanic Ridge Belt.

    Measuring Seismic Activity

    • Seismic activity is measured using a seismograph, which creates a seismogram, a recording of the earthquake's movements.
    • Body waves are a type of seismic wave that travels through the Earth's interior, and include P-waves and S-waves.
    • P-waves are the fastest of all seismic waves and move longitudinally, while S-waves are slower and more damaging.
    • Surface waves occur on the Earth's surface and are the most damaging, including Love waves and Rayleigh waves.

    Earthquake Magnitude

    • The Richter scale is used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake, and is logarithmic.
    • Each unit increase in magnitude represents a 10-fold increase in ground shaking intensity.
    • The Richter scale is most accurate for measuring mid-range earthquakes.
    • The moment magnitude scale is used for higher-magnitude earthquakes and is the most accurate scale.

    Types of Earthquakes

    • Foreshocks are smaller earthquakes that occur before the mainshock.
    • Mainshocks are the largest earthquakes in a series.
    • Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur after the mainshock.
    • Aftershocks can occur for years after the main event.

    Volcanoes

    • There are four distinct types of volcanoes: Composite Cone, Shield Cone, Cinder Cone, and Lava Dome.
    • Each type is distinguished by its size, lava composition, and eruptive style.
    • Viscous lavas are more explosive than fluid lavas.
    • Volcanic gases can cause multiple issues, including climate change, acid rain, and fatal asphyxiation.

    Pyroclastic Flows

    • Pyroclastic flows are dense collections of rock fragments, ash, and gases that result from highly explosive eruptions.
    • These flows are very dangerous, moving quickly and containing hot toxic gases and rock fragments.
    • Pyroclastic flows have two distinct layers: the ground layer and the ash layer.
    • Tephra is the term for volcanic particles in the flow.

    Volcanic Hazards

    • Volcanic hazards include lava flows, pyroclastic flows, pyroclastic surges, and tephra.
    • Lava flows are less deadly than other volcanic hazards due to their slow speeds.
    • Pyroclastic flows are very deadly due to their ability to kill people with toxic gases and destroy property.
    • Pyroclastic surges are deadly due to the presence of highly heated toxic gases.
    • Tephra is extremely dangerous because it can be carried for miles and negatively impact respiratory health.

    Minerals

    • Minerals are naturally occurring inorganic solids with a particular crystalline structure and chemical formula.
    • Minerals can be identified based on physical properties, including luster, ability to transmit light, and streak.
    • Tenacity, hardness, cleavage, and fracture are also used to identify minerals.
    • Density and specific gravity are properties used to help identify minerals.
    • Silicate minerals make up about 90% of the Earth's crust and are defined by the presence of silicate groups.

    Earthquakes

    • Earthquakes typically occur along tectonic plates within the Earth's lithosphere.
    • There are three types of faults: reverse, normal, and strike-slip faults.
    • Underwater earthquakes can trigger tsunamis, which can cause massive damage.
    • The five steps to a typical tectonic earthquake are:
      • Stress builds up around a fault line.
      • The fault ruptures, releasing stress as seismic waves.
      • Seismic waves travel through the Earth's interior and surface.
      • The seismic waves cause the ground to shake.
      • Aftershocks occur as the Earth's crust adjusts to the new stress.

    Seismic Waves

    • Seismic waves are classified into two types: body waves and surface waves.
    • Body waves:
      • P-waves (primary waves) are the fastest, moving longitudinally through the Earth's interior.
      • S-waves (shear waves) are slower, moving transversely through the Earth's interior.
    • Surface waves:
      • Love waves move in a snake-like motion across the surface.
      • Rayleigh waves move in a circular motion, causing the ground to move in a rolling motion.

    Measuring Earthquakes

    • The Richter Scale measures the magnitude of an earthquake, with each whole number increase representing a tenfold increase in ground motion.
    • The moment magnitude scale (MWO) is the most accurate scale for measuring earthquake magnitude.
    • Seismographs measure the ground motion caused by seismic waves.

    Fault Lines and Plates

    • Earth's crust is composed of several tectonic plates that move towards or away from each other.
    • Faults are locations where two tectonic plates meet, and can be seen on the surface as a fault line.
    • Stress builds up along fault lines, causing earthquakes when the plates suddenly move.

    Volcanoes

    • Volcanoes are mountainous rock formations that emit magma and gases when they erupt.
    • There are four types of volcanoes: composite cones, shield cones, cinder cones, and lava domes.
    • Volcanic eruptions can release gases, including water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide, which can affect climate change and human health.

    Lava and Pyroclastic Flows

    • Lava is the molten rock expelled from a volcano, classified into mafic, intermediate, and felsic lava based on composition.
    • Pyroclastic flows are dense collections of rock fragments, ash, and gases that result from highly explosive eruptions.
    • Pyroclastic flows can be deadly, moving quickly and containing hot toxic gases and rock fragments.

    Volcanic Hazards

    • Volcanic hazards include lava flows, pyroclastic flows, pyroclastic surges, and tephra (rock fragments and particles ejected from a volcano).
    • Pyroclastic surges can travel at speeds of up to 450 miles per hour and cause asphyxiation.
    • Tephra can negatively impact respiratory health and cause damage to property.

    Minerals

    • Minerals are naturally occurring, inorganic, solid substances with a defined chemical composition and crystalline structure.
    • Minerals can be identified based on physical properties, including luster, ability to transmit light, streak, and hardness.
    • Density and specific gravity are also used to identify minerals.

    Mineral Properties

    • Tenacity is the resistance of a mineral to breaking, characterized as brittle, malleable, sectile, and elastic.
    • Hardness is the ability of a mineral to resist scratching, measured using the Mohs Scale.
    • Cleavage is the tendency of a mineral to break along planes and form flat sheets.
    • Fracture is the shape and texture of the surface of a broken mineral.

    Density and Specific Gravity

    • Density is a measure of the mass of a certain volume of a sample.
    • Specific gravity is a unitless measure, defined as the ratio of the mass of a substance to the mass of an equal volume of water.
    • Minerals have a unique density and specific gravity, used to identify them.

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    Learn about the causes and types of earthquakes, including intraplate faults and underwater earthquakes that trigger tsunamis. Understand the five steps to a typical tectonic earthquake.

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