Earthquake Measurement Quiz

What does the magnitude of an earthquake measure?

• The total energy the earthquake radiates

• The duration of the earthquake

• The depth of the earthquake

• The number of aftershocks

Who formulated the moment magnitude scale?

• Charles Richter

• Hiroo Kanamori and Thomas Hanks

• Isaac Newton

• Zhongwen Zhan

What scale is used to describe earthquake intensity in the United States?

• Moment magnitude scale

• Richter scale

• Beaufort scale

• Modified Mercalli Intensity scale

What is the primary purpose of the Southern California Seismic Network?

• To measure ocean currents

• To predict weather patterns

• To record earthquakes

• To monitor volcanic activity

What technology does Distributed Acoustic Sensing (DAS) use?

• Ultrasound waves

• Satellite imagery

• Fiber-optic communications cables

• Infrared sensors

What is the role of accelerometer arrays in earthquake measurement?

• To measure temperature changes

• To detect changes in air pressure

• To collect data on ground and building movement

• To analyze water levels

How is instrumental intensity measured?

• By measuring the temperature of the ground

• By analyzing seismometer recordings of ground motion

• By observing animal behavior

• By counting the number of buildings damaged

What does the USGS's 'Did You Feel It?' program collect?

• Weather reports

• Seismometer data

• Satellite images

• Personal accounts of earthquake experiences

What does the Modified Mercalli Intensity scale use to describe intensity?

• Arabic numerals

• Roman numerals

• Hexadecimal numbers

• Binary code

What can cause variations in earthquake intensity?

• The phase of the moon

• The type of soil and depth of bedrock

• The time of day

• The color of the sky