Earthquakes Background Quiz

Which region experiences about 80% of all earthquakes?

• The Alpide Belt

• The Circum-Pacific Belt

• The Himalayan Belt

• The Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Where do most earthquakes occur?

• Along the edges of the Pacific Ocean

• At the poles

• In desert regions

• Inland away from tectonic plate boundaries

What primarily causes the stress that leads to earthquakes?

• Volcanic activity

• Meteor impacts

• Man-made activities

• Movement of tectonic plates

What is the main cause of the pressure that leads to earthquakes?

• Rising magma from the Earth's core

• Heavy rainfall saturating the ground

• Gravitational pull from the moon

• Shifting of tectonic plates

What instrument records the movements of the ground during an earthquake?

• Anemometer

• Thermometer

• Seismograph

• Barometer

What does the moment magnitude scale measure?

• The duration of an earthquake

• The distance the earthquake travels

• The depth of an earthquake

• The strength of an earthquake

What scale is preferred by seismologists to measure earthquakes?

• Mercalli intensity scale

• Seismic magnitude scale

• Moment magnitude scale

• Richter scale

What was the magnitude of the largest recorded earthquake?

• 9.5

• 10.0

• 9.0

• 8.5

What natural disaster can an earthquake generate?

• Hurricane

• Tsunami

• Volcanic eruption

• Tornado

How do buildings in earthquake-prone areas minimize damage?

• By using lighter materials

• By being anchored to the bedrock

• By being designed to sway

• By being built underground