Name _____________________________ Date______ Period______

Earthquakes Test

Choose the letter of the best answer. (2 points each, 30 total)

1. Earthquakes occur when movement along a fault

a. Slows down
b. Stops completely
c. Is quick and sudden
d. Is slow and steady

2. The strength of an earthquake depends in part on the

a. Speed at which blocks of rock move
b. Distance over which blocks of rock move
c. Types of seismic waves it produces
d. Number of aftershocks it produces

3. Along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Two tectonic plates are moving away from each
other. In this area, earthquakes likely occur along
a. Reverse-slip faults
b. Strike-slip faults
c. Reverse faults
d. Normal faults

4. Seismograms from how many different seismic stations are needed to locate an
earthquakes epicenter?
a. Three
b. Two
c. One
d. None

5. An Earthquakes epicenter is located directly above its

a. Tsunami
b. Focus
c. Seismic station
d. Moment magnitude

6. Using the moment magnitude scale, an earthquake with a magnitude of 8

releases about how much more energy than a magnitude of 7 earthquake?
a. 1000 times as much energy
b. 64 times as much energy
c. 32 times as much energy
d. 2 times as much energy
7. Scientist can usually predict the
a. Day an earthquake will occur
b. Month an earthquake will occur
c. Epicenter of a future earthquake
d. Earthquake risk of an area.

8. Which of these would probably reduce earthquake damage to a three-level

parking garage?
a. Adding more levels to the garage
b. Adding cross braces to the garage
c. Building the garage walls of brick
d. Building base isolators on the roof of the garage.

9. The coast of California consists of a transform boundary between the North

American Plate and Pacific Plate. Along what kind of fault are most of the
earthquakes likely to occur in this area?
a. Horizontal faults
b. Strike-slip faults
c. Normal faults
d. Reverse faults

10. Which seismic wave type causes the most ground motion to occur?
a. Primary waves
b. Secondary waves
c. Tertiary waves
d. Surface waves

11. During an earthquake, a large building sank down into the soil it was built on.
This was due to
a. Liquefaction
b. Tsunami
c. Aftershocks
d. Foreshocks

12. Most earthquakes occur

a. Near the center of tectonic plates
b. Along tectonic plate boundaries
c. In Earths mantle
d. In Earths core

13. When an earthquake occurs, the first seismic waves to reach a nearby city are
a. Primary waves
b. Secondary waves
c. Surface Waves
d. Tertiary waves
 14. An earthquake in the ocean floor causes a water wave to form. This wave is an
example of a(n)
a. Aftershock
b. Tsunami
c. Liquefaction
d. Fault

15. Which of the following earthquakes would probably cause the most damage to
a city near its epicenter?
a. A magnitude 6 earthquake with a focus 5 miles below earths surface
b. A magnitude 6 earthquake with a focus 20 miles below earths surface
c. A magnitude 4 earthquake with a focus 5 miles below earths surface
d. A magnitude 4 earthquake with a focus 20 miles below earths surface

Label the diagrams below according to the directions in #16-18 (9 points total)

_________________ __________________ _________________

_________________ __________________ _________________

16. Each of the diagrams above shows one type of fault. Label each diagram with the
type of fault it represents. (Normal, Strike-Slip, Reverse)

17. Draw arrows on the diagram to show the direction of the stress that cause each
fault.

18. Label each with the type of stress that caused the fault. (Compression, Tension,
Shearing)
Use the pictures below to answer #19-20 (4 points)
A B

19. Did Earthquake A or B release more energy?_______

20. Which earthquake would register higher on the moment magnitude scale?_______

21. Explain why earthquakes occur. Then explain why most earthquakes occur along
tectonic plate boundaries. Use the following terms in your response: tectonic plate
boundaries, fault, stress, energy, and seismic waves. Write your response in
complete sentences. (8 points)
Use the map below to answer #22-25 as well as the bonus. (9 points total)

22. What is located at points A, B and C on the map? (2 points)

23. What does the circle around point A represent?(2 points)

24. Mark the epicenter on the map with a star *.(2 points)

25. Describe the difference in arrival times between P and S waves at point A vs. point
B. (3 points)

Bonus: (up to 3 points)

Draw a seismogram reading on the strips below that represent the readings from
points A and B. Be sure to include the Primary, Secondary, and Surface Waves.