Earthquakes And Society

Earthquake hazards are factors that determine the __________. A. number of earthquakes B. severity of earthquake damage C. speed of seismic waves D. depth of Earth’s core

Earthquakes most frequently occur along __________. A. river valleys B. mountain peaks C. plate boundaries D. deserts

Which type of building material is most brittle during earthquakes? A. Wood B. Steel C. Concrete D. Rubber

A magnitude-5 earthquake may be catastrophic in one area but harmless in another because of __________. A. Earth’s rotation B. earthquake hazards C. plate size D. wave speed

Wooden structures usually perform better in earthquakes because they are more __________. A. rigid B. brittle C. resilient D. massive

Severe damage often occurs in buildings that are __________. A. reinforced and flexible B. unreinforced and brittle C. underground D. very tall

“Pancaking” refers to a building failure in which __________. A. walls crack outward B. floors collapse onto each other C. roofs lift off D. foundations sink evenly

Pancaking was a major cause of destruction during the 2005 earthquake in __________. A. Japan B. Chile C. Pakistan D. Turkey

During the 1985 Mexico City earthquake, which buildings were most damaged? A. One-story buildings B. Very tall skyscrapers C. Buildings 5–15 stories tall D. Underground buildings

Medium-height buildings in Mexico City collapsed mainly because they __________. A. were poorly constructed B. were too heavy C. vibrated at the same frequency as seismic waves D. were built on hills

Earthquakes can trigger massive __________ in steep or sloping areas. A. floods B. landslides C. tsunamis D. erosion

Most deaths in the 1970 Peru earthquake were caused by __________. A. fires B. tsunamis C. landslides D. building collapse

Soil liquefaction occurs when __________. A. frozen ground melts B. dry soil cracks C. water-saturated soil behaves like a liquid D. bedrock fractures

Soil liquefaction can cause buildings to __________. A. grow taller B. tilt or sink C. crack evenly D. strengthen

Which ground material increased damage during the 1985 Mexico City earthquake? A. Granite bedrock B. Lava rock C. Soft, unconsolidated sediments D. Solid limestone

A tsunami is best described as __________. A. a wind-driven ocean wave B. a wave caused by coastal storms C. a large wave caused by vertical movement of the seafloor D. a wave caused by tides

In the open ocean, tsunami waves usually have heights of less than __________. A. 30 m B. 10 m C. 5 m D. 1 m

Tsunami speeds in the open ocean can reach __________. A. 50 km/h B. 100 km/h C. 300 km/h D. 500–800 km/h

The 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami was caused by an earthquake near __________. A. Japan B. Chile C. Sumatra D. California

Earthquake forecasting is based mainly on calculating __________. A. exact time B. exact location C. probability D. wave speed

Which two factors are used to estimate earthquake probability? A. Wind speed and rainfall B. Earthquake history and strain buildup C. Plate size and ocean depth D. Temperature and pressure

Areas with the highest probability of future earthquakes are located along __________. A. river systems B. seismic belts C. mountain ranges D. ocean trenches only

A seismic gap is a section of a fault that __________. A. moves constantly B. recently ruptured C. has not had a major earthquake for a long time D. is inactive forever

Recurrence-rate studies along the San Andreas Fault help scientists estimate __________. A. tsunami height B. earthquake probability C. wave direction D. Earth’s age