Earthquake Facts

What is the primary cause of earthquakes?

• Volcanic eruptions

• Global warming

• Alien invasions

• Movement of tectonic plates along fault lines

Which scale is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes?

• Fahrenheit scale

• Kelvin scale

• Celsius scale

• Richter scale

What is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake called?

• Midpoint

• Center

• Epicenter

• Origin

What is the name for a smaller earthquake that follows the main shock of a larger earthquake?

• Secondary quake

• Aftermath

• Postquake

• Aftershock

What is the term for a sudden shaking of the ground caused by movements in the Earth's crust?

• Earthquake

• Tsunami

• Volcano

• Hurricane

Where do most earthquakes occur?

• Underwater volcanoes

• Deserts

• Tectonic plate boundaries

• Mount Everest

What is the name for a fracture in the Earth's crust along which movement has occurred?

• crevice

• fault

• crack

• rift

What is the term for the slow movement of continents across the Earth's surface?

• Landmass Shift

• Earth's Glide

• Plate Tectonics

• Continental Drift

What is the name for an early warning system that can detect the first waves of an earthquake?

• tremorometer

• quakeometer

• seismograph

• seismometer

What is the Ring of Fire?

• A circle of volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean where earthquakes are frequent

• A science fiction movie

• A rare atmospheric phenomenon

• A large-scale forest fire that affects multiple countries