Earthquakes

A fault is ____.

• a place on Earth

  where earthquakes cannot occur

• a fracture in the

  Earth where movement has occurred

• the place on Earth’s

  surface where structures move during an earthquake

• another name for an earthquake

An earthquake’s epicenter is ____.

• the place on the surface directly above the focus

• a spot halfway between the focus and the surface

• the spot below the focus

• any spot along the nearest fault

Earthquakes are usually associated with ____.

• violent weather

• faults

• large cities

• the east coast of North America

Which seismic waves travel most rapidly?

• P waves

• S waves

• surface waves

• tsunamis

Which one of the following statements is true about P waves?

• They travel only through solids.

• They travel faster than S waves.

• They are the most destructive type of seismic wave.

• They cannot be recorded on a seismograph.

Which seismic waves compress and expand rocks in the direction the waves travel?

• P waves

• S waves

• Surface waves

• transverse waves

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of S waves?

• They travel more slowly than P waves.

• They temporarily change the volume of material by compression and expansion.

• They shake particles at right angles to the direction the waves travel.

• They cannot be transmitted through water or air.

Overall, which seismic waves are the most destructive?

• P waves

• S waves

• Compression waves

• surface waves

A travel-time graph can be used to find the ____.

• focus of an earthquake

• strength of an earthquake

• damage

  caused by an earthquake

• distance

  to the epicenter of an earthquake

What instrument records earthquake waves?

• seismogram

• seismograph

• Richter scale

• barometer