Name ____________________

Class Period _______

Measuring Earthquakes  – Chapter 9 – Quiz Questions #3
pp. 194 - 197

1. What two (2) measurements are taken during and after an earthquake?

2. Compare and contrast the three (3) earthquake measuring scales discussed in this section:

a. The Richter Scale:



b. The Moment Magnitude Scale:



c. The Mercalli Intensity Scale:

3. On the Richter Scale how many times stronger is a 3.0 magnitude earthquake compared to a 2.0 magnitude earthquake?

4. A friend tells you that he once experienced an earthquake and saw books and other objects falling off a bookcase.

a. What was the magnitude on the Mercalli Intensity Scale?

b. What was the magnitude on the Richter Scale?

5. The largest earthquake ever recorded occurred in Chile. Why are earthquakes to be expected in Chile? Explain your answer.

6. How can the same earthquake have different Mercalli Intensity scale ratings in different locations?

7. Why don’t earthquakes follow plate boundary lines exactly?

8. Future earthquakes will probably occur near the San Andreas Fault because the fault is “active.” What does it mean to say that a fault is “active?”