Earthquake and Faults Quiz

The force that causes rocks to break as plates rub past each other is called (a)   .

• fault
• friction
• pressure
• tension

A break, or crack, in the rocks of the lithosphere along which movements take place is called a(n) (a)   .

• fault line
• earthquake zone
• mountain range
• river bed

Three types of faults include a strike-slip fault, a(n) (a)   fault, and a reverse fault.

• normal
• lateral
• oblique
• thrust

When ground near tectonic plates shifts and changes position, (a)   occur.

• earthquakes
• volcanic eruptions
• tsunamis
• landslides

An earthquake’s (a)   is the point below Earth’s surface where an earthquake begins.

• focus
• epicenter
• magnitude
• fault

Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions create a vibration called a(n) (a)   that travels through Earth.

• seismic wave
• tectonic shift
• lava flow
• earth tremor

Earthquakes cause two main types of seismic waves: (a)   and body waves.

• surface
• oceanic
• atmospheric
• solar

Fast-moving body waves are called __________ waves, or P waves, and slow-moving body waves are called __________ waves, or S waves.

• primary and secondary

• secondary and primary

• compressional and shear

• shear and compressional

How destructive is an earthquake? The measure of the energy released during an earthquake is called (a)   .

• seismic energy
• tectonic force
• volcanic activity
• gravitational pull

The scale used to measure an earthquake's magnitude is the __________ scale; the Mercalli scale measures an earthquake's __________.

• Richter, intensity

• Mercalli, magnitude

• Richter, magnitude

• Mercalli, intensity