Earthquakes and Earth's Interior CSU

Front

What type of fault is most associated with a divergent boundary?

Back

Normal fault: A fault where the hanging wall moves down relative to the footwall, typically found at divergent boundaries where tectonic plates are moving apart.

Front

Which of the following is NOT evidence that teaches us about Earth's layers?

Back

Drill core samples: While they provide direct information about the Earth's crust, they do not give insights into the deeper layers like seismic waves do.

Front

What type of fault is shown in a typical transform boundary?

Back

Strike-slip fault: A fault where two blocks of crust slide past each other horizontally, commonly found at transform boundaries.

Front

What type of stress is most associated with a convergent boundary?

Back

Compression: A type of stress that occurs when tectonic plates push together, often leading to the formation of mountains or subduction zones.

Front

What type of fault is most associated with a transform boundary?

Back

Strike-slip fault: Characterized by horizontal movement of the crust, found at transform boundaries where plates slide past each other.

Front

What is a seismic wave?

Back

A seismic wave is an energy wave that travels through the Earth, generated by earthquakes or other geological processes.

Front

What is the difference between P-waves and S-waves?

Back

P-waves (primary waves) are compressional waves that travel fastest through solids and liquids, while S-waves (secondary waves) are shear waves that only travel through solids.

Front

What is the Earth's lithosphere?

Back

The lithosphere is the rigid outer layer of the Earth, consisting of the crust and the upper mantle, which is broken into tectonic plates.

Front

What is the role of the asthenosphere in plate tectonics?

Back

The asthenosphere is a semi-fluid layer beneath the lithosphere that allows tectonic plates to move due to its plasticity.

Front

What is a subduction zone?

Back

A subduction zone is an area where one tectonic plate is being forced under another, leading to volcanic activity and earthquakes.