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Earthquakes P Waves S Waves

Total questions: 35

Worksheet time: 28mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

Which type of wave arrives to a seismic station first?

a)

Primary Waves (P-Waves)

b)

Secondary Waves (S-Waves)

c)

Rayleigh Waves

d)

Love Waves

2.
Which body wave is pictured?
a)
P-Wave
b)
S-Wave
c)
Rayleigh Wave
d)
Love Wave
3.
We use this tool to measure seismic waves during earthquakes
a)
Seismographs
b)
magnitude
c)
actual magnitude
d)
sonograph
4.

What is the name for the area beneath the Earth's surface where an earthquake begins?

a)

epicenter

b)

focus

c)

fault line

d)

tectonic plate

5.
P Waves travel through...
a)
Solids
b)
Liquids
c)
Both
6.
S Waves travel through...
a)
Soilds
b)
Liquids
c)
Both
7.
These are the first waves released during an earthquake
a)
S waves
b)
Surface Waves
c)
P waves
8.

These are the secondary waves to be released. They cannot travel through the liquid outer core

a)

S waves

b)

Surface Waves

c)

P waves

9.

What is the name of the area on the surface where an earthquake starts?

a)

focus

b)

epicenter

c)

p waves

d)

plate boundary

10.

A diagram of earthquake motion is called a ___________________.

a)

seismograph

b)

seismogram

c)

seismologist

d)

seismometer

11.

What are the "waves" called that come from an earthquake?

a)

Thunder

b)

Seismic

c)

Lava

12.
Which body wave compresses and stretches rock materials as it passes through the Earth's interior?
a)
Body Waves
b)
P- Waves
c)
S- Waves
d)
Surface Waves
13.
Which body waves cause particles of rock material to move at right angles to the direction in which the waves are traveling?
a)
Body Waves
b)
P- Waves
c)
S- Waves
d)
Surface Waves
14.

Rank the seismic waves in order of appearance when an earthquake first occurs as measured by a seismograph.

a)

S waves, P waves, then surface waves

b)

P waves, S waves, then surface waves

c)

S and P waves at the same time, then surface waves

d)

Surface waves, then S and P waves at the same time

15.
Which surface wave is pictured?
a)
P-Wave
b)
S-Wave
c)
Rayleigh Wave
d)
Love Wave
16.

Main type of waves that can travel the earth`s inner layer.

a)

surface waves

b)

body waves

c)

Love waves

d)

Rayleigh waves

17.

Main type of seismic waves that can only travel through the surface of the Earth.

a)

seismic waves

b)

surface waves

c)

body waves

d)

primary waves

18.

Two types of surface waves

a)

Love waves and Rayleigh Waves

b)

P waves and S waves

19.

Two types of body waves

a)

Love waves and Rayleigh waves

b)

P waves and S waves

20.

They are the scientists who study earthquakes.

a)

Seigmographists

b)

Seismologists

c)

Seismologihists

d)

Seismogists

21.

As the distance from the epicenter decreases, the time interval between the arrival of the P-waves and the S-waves on the seismograph will _________________

a)

decrease

b)

increase

c)

remain the same

d)

zero

22.
Where is the epicenter for this earthquake located based on triangulation?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
d)
D
23.
Where are the P-waves located on this seismogram?
a)
A
b)
B
c)
C
d)
D
24.

Which of the statements best describes the relationship between the P and S wave interval (lag time) and distance from epicenter?

a)

The longer the lag time, the closer the distance.

b)

The longer the lag time, the farther the distance.

c)

The shorter the lag time, the farther the distance.

d)

There is no relationship.

25.

To locate the epicenter of an earthquake how many seismographs are needed?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

26.
Which seismogram represents a city that is far from the epicenter of an earthquake?  
a)
New York, NY
b)
Nome, Alaska
c)
Guadalajara, Mexico
27.

If the half life of a radioactive element is 100yrs, how long would it take for the radioactivity to reduce by one half?

a)

200yrs

b)

100yrs

c)

50yrs

d)

300yrs

28.

What is Half-life?

a)

The amount of time it takes for some of the atoms in a sample to decay.

b)

The amount of time it takes for an atom to break in half.

c)

The amount of time it takes for half the atoms in a sample to decay.

d)

the amount of time it takes for double the atoms in a sample to decay

29.
The length of time required for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay is its...
a)
era
b)
age
c)
half-life
d)
eon
30.

Where are the S-waves located on this seismogram?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

31.

Generally speaking, the further underground an object is located, the

a)

younger it is

b)

smaller it is

c)

bigger it is

d)

older it is

e)

none of the above

32.

Suppose you have a 24 atom sample. How many atoms would be left after one half-live? After two half-lives? After three half-lives?

a)

8; 4; 2

b)

12; 6; 3

c)

24; 12; 8

d)

24; 12; 6

33.

All plants and animals contain carbon.

a)

True

b)

False

34.

_______________is the method of determining the ages of rocks.

a)

radioactive dating

b)

carbon-14 dating

35.

Challenge Question! The graph shows the radioactive decay of a 50-gram sample of a radioactive isotope.

According to the graph, what is the half-life of this isotope?

a)

100 years

b)

150 years

c)

200 years

d)

300 years

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