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

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

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

Question 2

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

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

Question 3

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

A	Foreshock
B	Seismograph
C	Scarp
D	Focus
E	Epicenter

Question 3 Explanation:

tsunami speed = square root (gravity X depth)

Question 4

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

Question 5

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

Question 5 Explanation:

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

Question 6

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

Question 7

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	circular
B	elliptical
C	conical
D	spherical

Question 8

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

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

Question 9

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

A	solid
B	molten
C	liquid
D	gaseous

Question 10

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

A	Joints
B	Faults
C	Folds
D	Dikes
E	Unconformities

Question 11

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

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

Question 12

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

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

Question 13

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

Question 14

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

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

Question 15

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

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

Question 16

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

A	linear
B	algebraic
C	colinear
D	exponential
E	parabolic

Question 17

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

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

Question 18

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

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

Question 19

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

Question 20

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 21

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

Question 22

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

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

Question 23

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

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

Question 24

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	16 km
C	16 m
D	14 km
E	14 m

Question 24 Explanation:

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

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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

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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