16. Which phenomenon is characterized by the sudden release of stress along a fault line, resulting in ground shaking?
(A) Volcanic eruption
(B) Earthquake
(C) Tsunami
(D) Landslide
17. What type of seismic wave moves the ground up and down or side to side and only travels through solids?
(A) P-waves
(B) S-waves
(C) Love waves
(D) Rayleigh waves
18. What does the Modified Mercalli Intensity (MMI) scale measure?
(A) The energy released by an earthquake
(B) The magnitude of an earthquake
(C) The duration of an earthquake
(D) The observed effects and damage caused by an earthquake
19. Which of the following statements best describes a subduction zone earthquake?
(A) It occurs along transform faults
(B) It is caused by the collision of continental plates
(C) It occurs when one tectonic plate is forced beneath another
(D) It is associated with divergent plate boundaries
20. What is a seismic gap, and why is it significant?
(A) An area of high seismic activity
(B) An area where no earthquakes have occurred for a long period
(C) A measurement of the intensity of seismic waves
(D) A region with continuous minor tremors
21. What is liquefaction, and when does it typically occur?
(A) When solid rocks turn into liquid magma during an earthquake
(B) When water-saturated sediments lose their strength and behave like a liquid during shaking
(C) When a fault line becomes lubricated by underground water
(D) When volcanic activity melts rocks near the Earth’s surface
22. What is the primary purpose of a seismograph?
(A) To measure atmospheric pressure
(B) To detect and record seismic waves
(C) To forecast weather patterns
(D) To measure the Earth’s magnetic field
23. Elastic rebound theory gives explanation on
(A) Release of energy during an earthquake
(B) Movement of tectonic plates
(C) Propagation of seismic wave through the earth
(D) Volcanic activity at the mid-ocean ridges
24. What type of boundary is most likely to produce the largest earthquakes?
(A) Divergent boundary
(B) Convergent boundary
(C) Transform boundary
(D) Passive margin
25. What is the main cause of aftershocks following a major earthquake?
(A) The release of residual stress along the fault
(B) Changes in atmospheric pressure
(C) Ongoing volcanic activity
(D) Sudden changes in the Earth’s magnetic field
26. How do seismologists use the time difference between the arrival of P-waves and S-waves to determine the distance to an earthquake’s epicentre?
(A) By calculating the speed of sound in the Earth’s crust
(B) By triangulating the position using multiple seismographs
(C) By measuring the amplitude of the waves
(D) By analysing the frequency of the waves
27. What does a higher magnitude on the Richter scale indicate about an earthquake?
(A) It has a larger amplitude of seismic waves
(B) It is closer to the Earth’s surface
(C) It has a longer duration
(D) It causes less damage
28. What geological feature is commonly created at convergent plate boundaries due to subduction?
(A) Mid-ocean ridges
(B) Trenches
(C) Rift valleys
(D) Transform faults
29. Which type of earthquake wave can travel through both the Earth’s core and mantle?
(A) P-waves
(B) S-waves
(C) Surface waves
(D) Love waves
30. What is a seismic hazard map used for?
(A) Predicting the exact time of future earthquakes
(B) Identifying areas at risk of seismic activity
(C) Measuring the intensity of past earthquakes
(D) Mapping the locations of all fault lines
