Midterm Review Earth Science

What is the Mercalli Scale?

• Measures the amount of earthquakes.

• Measures the intensity of an earthquake.

• Measures the speed of an earthquake.

• None of the above.

How do you tell the magnitude of something?

• The seismic energy released from an earthquake.

• The difference between the p and s waves.

• The distance of the p and s waves minus the difference between them.

• None of the above.

What is the least amount of seismograph stations.

• one.

• two.

• three.

• zero.

Earthquakes generate compressional waves (p-waves) and shear waves (s-waves). Compared to the speed of shear waves in a given earth material, the speed of compressional waves is?

• Always faster.

• Always slower.

• Always the same.

• Sometimes faster and sometimes slower.

The time that an earthquake occurs can be inferred by knowing the?

• Distances between seismograph stations.

• Epicenter distance and arrival time of the p-waves.

• Travel time of the s-waves.

• Arrival time of p-waves.

If the epicenter of an earthquake is located near Massena, New York, where would thegreatest difference in arrival times of the p- and s-waves for this earthquake occur?

• Utica, New York.

• Binghamton, New York.

• Plattsburg, New York.

• Albany, New York.

An earthquake occured at 5:00:00 a.m. According to the Earth Science Reference Tables, at what time would the p-wave reach a seismic station 3,000 kilometers from the epicenter?

• 5:04:30 a.m.

• 5:05:40 a.m.

• 5:01:40 a.m.

• 5:10:15 a.m.

Which statement best characterizes the arrival times of the seismic waves at station?

• The p-wave and s-wave arrived at the same time.

• The s-wave arrived first.

• Only the s-wave arrived.

• The p-wave arrived first.

The first p-wave of an earthquake travels 5600 kilometers from the epicenter and arrives at a seismic station at 10:05 a.m. At what time did this earthquake occur?

• 9:49 a.m.

• 9:56 a.m.

• 10:02 a.m.

• 10:14 a.m.

If a seismic station is 3200 km from an earthquake epicenter, what is the time needed for an s-wave to travel from the epicenter to the seismic station?

• 4 min 40 sec.

• 6 min 0 sec.

• 10 min 40 sec.

• 11 min 10 sec.