Geophysics 375 – Natural Disasters and Critical Earth Phenomena

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Go to: Midtrem II | Final Exam

Geophysics 375 (GOPH 375) Midterm I

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Question 1

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

Question 2

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

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

Question 2 Explanation:

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

Question 3

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

A	gaseous
B	solid
C	liquid
D	molten

Question 4

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

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

Question 5

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	circular
D	spherical

Question 6

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

Question 7

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

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

Question 8

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

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

Question 9

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

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

Question 10

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

A	Epicenter
B	Seismograph
C	Focus
D	Scarp
E	Foreshock

Question 10 Explanation:

tsunami speed = square root (gravity X depth)

Question 11

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

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

Question 12

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

A	Faults
B	Dikes
C	Folds
D	Unconformities
E	Joints

Question 13

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

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

Question 14

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 km
C	16 m
D	14 m
E	16 km

Question 14 Explanation:

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

Question 15

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	pyroclastic flows
C	eruptions of solid rocks
D	ash falls
E	poisonous gases

Question 16

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

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

Question 17

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

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

Question 18

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

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

Question 19

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	3 Hz
C	3 m
D	500 m
E	10 Hz

Question 20

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

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

Question 21

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

A	algebraic
B	parabolic
C	linear
D	colinear
E	exponential

Question 22

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

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

Question 23

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

Question 24

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	8.0 – 8.9
D	7.0 – 7.9
E	6.0 – 6.9

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Credits: Based on the excellent class notes provided by my friends during Fall Fall 2015.
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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

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Geophysics 375 (GOPH 375) Midterm I

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Standing on the shoulders of giants