Geophysics 375 – Natural Disasters and Critical Earth Phenomena

Disclaimer: While every reasonable effort is made to ensure that the information provided is accurate, no guarantees for the currency or accuracy of information are made. It takes several proof readings and rewrites to bring the quiz to an exceptional level. If you find an error, please contact me as soon as possible. Please indicate the question ID-Number or description because server may randomize the questions and answers.

Go to: Midtrem II | Final Exam

Geophysics 375 (GOPH 375) Midterm I

Please wait while the activity loads.
If this activity does not load, try refreshing your browser. Also, this page requires javascript. Please visit using a browser with javascript enabled.

If loading fails, click here to try again

Some questions have hints and explanations. Click Start to begin.

Start

Congratulations - you have completed Geophysics 375 (GOPH 375) Midterm I.

You scored %%SCORE%% out of %%TOTAL%%. With incorrect multiple attempts your score is %%PERCENTAGE%%

Your performance has been rated as %%RATING%%

Your answers are highlighted below.

Question 1

What are the three main types of plate boundaries? (ID-NDM1-12)

A	convergent, subduction and transform
B	convergent, divergent and subduction
C	convergent, divergent and transform
D	subduction, strike-slip, and transform
E	convergent, spreading and subduction

Question 2

What natural phenomenon is most unlikely to affect Calgary? (ID-NDM1-16)

A	blizzard
B	flooding
C	volcano
D	drought
E	tornado
F	lightning

Question 3

Which of the following typically causes the greatest annual energy input to the Earth’s surface? (ID-NDM1-17)

A	Meteoric impacts
B	Earthquakes
C	Sunlight
D	Volcanic eruptions
E	Release of internal heat

Question 4

Friction with the floor of the shallow water results in the orbits of the water molecules at the bottom of the wave to become more ___. (ID-NDM1-08)

A	elliptical
B	conical
C	spherical
D	circular

Question 5

The primary energy sources that make the Earth an active body include all but which of the following? (ID-NDM1-06)

A	Earth's internal heat
B	Tsunamis and earthquakes
C	Impact of extraterrestrial matter
D	Gravitational force
E	Sun

Question 5 Explanation:

Tsunamis and earthquakes are results of primary energy sources. They are not the sources themselves.

Question 6

If the period (time between peaks) of a P-wave generated by an earthquake is 4 seconds and it travels at 4000 m/s, what is its wavelength? (ID-NDM1-10)

A	1 km
B	14 m
C	14 km
D	16 m
E	16 km

Question 6 Explanation:

Wavelength = ct = (4 s)(4000 m/s) = 16000 m = 16 km

Question 7

A small earthquake occurred recently near Turner Valley (about 30 km from Calgary). About how long, after the onset of the earthquake, would it have taken the first-arriving energy to reach Calgary? (ID-NDM1-24)

A	4 minutes
B	13 seconds
C	30 minutes
D	1 hour
E	6 seconds

Question 8

The Richter Scale is set up so that for every _______ increase in the amplitude of the recorded seismic wave, the Richter magnitude increases by one, e.g., from 4 to 5. (ID-NDM1-01)

A	20 fold
B	4 fold
C	10 fold
D	2 fold
E	50 fold

Question 9

Which of the following geologic structures most likely to cause an earthquake? (ID-NDM1-21)

A	Dikes
B	Unconformities
C	Joints
D	Folds
E	Faults

Question 10

What is the standardized distance from an earthquake epicenter for measuring Richter magnitudes? (ID-NDM1-20)

A	1000 km
B	10 km
C	0 km
D	500 km
E	100 km

Question 11

What are the evidence of the last major earthquake in the Cascadia subduction zone? (ID-NDM1-04)

A	Disturbed sediments on the seafloor.
B	All of the answers posted here are correct.
C	Sand layers washed far inshore by tsunami waves.
D	All of the answers posted here are incorrect.
E	Repeating sequences of layers of soil in coastal marshes.

Question 12

Which of the following statement(s) are/is true? (ID-NDM1-03)
I. Most tsunamis occur in the Pacific Ocean.
II. It is possible not to have any adverse effect on ships in the middle of the ocean during a tsunami.
III. Tsunamis are often caused by underwater strike-slip type faults.

A	Only the statement III is true.
B	Only the statement I is true.
C	All three statements are false.
D	Statements I and II are true.
E	Statement I and III are true.
F	Only the statement II is true.
G	All three statements are true.

Question 13

Which one of the following describes the place and date of a volcanic natural disaster? (ID-NDM1-13)

A	Pelee, Martinique, 1902
B	Vesuvius, Greece, 1902
C	Loma Prieta, United States in 1994
D	Lisbon, Portugal in 1755
E	Kobe, Japan, 1995

Question 14

The most inner core of the Earth is determined to be ____. (ID-NDM1-07)

A	liquid
B	gaseous
C	molten
D	solid

Question 15

Majority of the western coast of British Columbia faces danger of which of the following? (ID-NDM1-18)

A	Intraplate hot spot eruptions
B	Flooding
C	Prolonged drought punctuated by hail
D	Glaciers in sea lanes
E	Subduction zone earthquake and associated tsunamis
F	Tornadoes

Question 16

According to the Richter magnitude scale, earthquakes at which range is classified as "Major Earthquakes"? (ID-NDM1-02)

A	9.0 and greater
B	5.0 – 5.9
C	7.0 – 7.9
D	8.0 – 8.9
E	6.0 – 6.9

Question 17

If it takes 3 minutes for an earthquake-generated P wave to travel from offshore Vancouver Island to Calgary (about 1260 km) and the measured period of the arriving wave is 10 seconds, what is the wavelength? (ID-NDM1-23)

A	70 km
B	500 m
C	3 Hz
D	10 Hz
E	3 m

Question 18

In what order do earthquake waves arrive at seismic stations? (ID-NDM1-22)

A	P-waves, then S-waves, then surface waves
B	S-waves, then P-waves, then surface waves
C	S-waves, then surface waves, then P-waves
D	Surface waves, then P-waves, then S-waves
E	Surface waves, then S-waves, then P-waves

Question 19

Where is the Chicxulub impact site? (ID-NDM1-11)

A	Puerto Escondido, Costa Rica
B	In the Columbian Basin of the Caribbean Sea
C	Manicouagan, Quebec
D	Under the Deccan Traps in India
E	Northwestern corner of the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

Question 20

What is the point of origin of an earthquake? (ID-NDM1-19)

A	Foreshock
B	Epicenter
C	Focus
D	Scarp
E	Seismograph

Question 20 Explanation:

tsunami speed = square root (gravity X depth)

Question 21

The San Andreas Fault line can be best described as a... (ID-NDM1-14)

A	continental transform fault.
B	oceanic convergence fault.
C	oceanic continental thrust fault.
D	normal fault.

Question 22

Which of the following is not typically associated with earthquakes? (ID-NDM1-09)

A	glaciation
B	liquefaction
C	ground rupturing
D	tsunami
E	landslides
F	mountain building

Question 23

Which of the following most likely has the greatest potential to cause property damage near a subduction zone style volcanism? (ID-NDM1-15)

A	pahoehoe lava
B	poisonous gases
C	ash falls
D	pyroclastic flows
E	eruptions of solid rocks

Question 24

The human population growth during the past several centuries can be mathematically represented using which of the following regressions? (ID-NDM1-05)

A	colinear
B	algebraic
C	exponential
D	linear
E	parabolic

Once you are finished, click the button below. Any items you have not completed will be marked incorrect. Get Results

There are 24 questions to complete.

←

List

→

Return

Shaded items are complete.

1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10
11	12	13	14	15
16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	End

Return

Credits: Based on the excellent class notes provided by my friends during Fall Fall 2015.
FAQ | Report an Error

If you get a question wrong, you can still click on the other answers. You have multiple opportunities to select the correct answer. This will open up hints and explanations (if available), which will provide additional information.

Sanuja Senanayake

Geophysics 375-University of Calgary

Go to: Midtrem II | Final Exam

Geophysics 375 (GOPH 375) Midterm I

Standing on the shoulders of giants

Go to: Midtrem II | Final Exam

Geophysics 375 (GOPH 375) Midterm I

Print/Share:

Standing on the shoulders of giants