GEOGRAPHY 2152 FINAL 2026 FIELDWORK
AND THEORY ASSESSMENT TESTED
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
◉ Factors that determine earthquake shaking.
Answer: 1. Magnitude
2. Distance to the epicentre
3. Focal depth
4. Direction of the rupture
5. Local soil and rock types
6. Local engineering and construction practices
◉ Earthquake shaking.
Answer: Seismographs record the arrival of waves to a recording
station. Because P waves travel faster than S waves, they appear first
on a seismogram. Earthquake shaking decreases with distance from
epicentre
◉ Distance to the epicentre.
Answer: The difference between the arrival times of the first P and S
waves at different locations determine the distance to the epicentre.
The distance to the epicentre is calculated at 3 different seismic
,stations. A circle with radius equal to that distance is drawn around
the station
◉ Locating the epicentre.
Answer: The epicentre is located where the circles intersect; this
process is called triangulation
◉ Focal depth.
Answer: Seismic waves become less intense as they spread outward
toward the surface. Therefore, the greater the focal depth, the less
intense the shaking at the surface. This reduction of energy is
referred to as attenuation
◉ Direction of rupture.
Answer: Earthquake energy is focused in the direction of rupture.
This is known as directivity and contributes to increased shaking.
Radiated waves are sometimes stronger in one direction along the
fault.
◉ Local soil and rock types.
Answer: The local geology influences the amount of ground motion.
Dense homogenous crust can transmit earthquake energy quickly.
Seismic energy slows down in areas with heterogeneous, folded,
faulted crust. Earthquakes in eastern North America are felt over
larger areas than those in western North America
,◉ Amplification.
Answer: An increase in ground motion during an earthquake. Has
historically enhanced damage in San Francisco area earthquakes
◉ Alluvial.
Answer: Material deposited by water. P and S waves slow as they
travel through alluvial sand, gravel, clay, soil, etc. As the waves slow,
some of their energy is transferred to surface waves
◉ Shake maps.
Answer: The combination of all of these effects results in
widespread variation of the shaking felt in the vicinity of an
earthquake. Therefore, two earthquakes that have the same
magnitude can have very different impacts
◉ The earthquake cycle.
Answer: A hypothesis that explains successive earthquakes on a
fault. It is based on the idea that strain drops abruptly after an
earthquake and then slowly accumulates until the next earthquake.
As stress continues to increase, the deformed material will
eventually rupture
◉ Stage of the earthquake cycle.
, Answer: 1. An inactive period
2. A period where strain produces minor earthquakes
3, A period of foreshock prior to a major release of stress (this stage
does not always occur)
4. A period where the mainshock occurs allowing the fault to release
built-up stress
5. A period of aftershocks with epicenters in the same general area
as the main shock
The time between each stage varies
◉ Foreshock.
Answer: A small to moderate earthquake that occurs before and is in
the same general area as the main shock
◉ Geographic regions at risk of earthquakes.
Answer: Earthquakes are not randomly distributed. Most
earthquakes occur along plate boundaries:
Pacific Ring of Fire, Himalaya mountains, Middle East. North
American cities at high risk of earthquakes (Anchorage, Vancouver,
Victoria, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, LA, Mexico City). However,
not all areas at risk of earthquakes are near plate boundaries
◉ Plate boundary earthquakes.
AND THEORY ASSESSMENT TESTED
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS
◉ Factors that determine earthquake shaking.
Answer: 1. Magnitude
2. Distance to the epicentre
3. Focal depth
4. Direction of the rupture
5. Local soil and rock types
6. Local engineering and construction practices
◉ Earthquake shaking.
Answer: Seismographs record the arrival of waves to a recording
station. Because P waves travel faster than S waves, they appear first
on a seismogram. Earthquake shaking decreases with distance from
epicentre
◉ Distance to the epicentre.
Answer: The difference between the arrival times of the first P and S
waves at different locations determine the distance to the epicentre.
The distance to the epicentre is calculated at 3 different seismic
,stations. A circle with radius equal to that distance is drawn around
the station
◉ Locating the epicentre.
Answer: The epicentre is located where the circles intersect; this
process is called triangulation
◉ Focal depth.
Answer: Seismic waves become less intense as they spread outward
toward the surface. Therefore, the greater the focal depth, the less
intense the shaking at the surface. This reduction of energy is
referred to as attenuation
◉ Direction of rupture.
Answer: Earthquake energy is focused in the direction of rupture.
This is known as directivity and contributes to increased shaking.
Radiated waves are sometimes stronger in one direction along the
fault.
◉ Local soil and rock types.
Answer: The local geology influences the amount of ground motion.
Dense homogenous crust can transmit earthquake energy quickly.
Seismic energy slows down in areas with heterogeneous, folded,
faulted crust. Earthquakes in eastern North America are felt over
larger areas than those in western North America
,◉ Amplification.
Answer: An increase in ground motion during an earthquake. Has
historically enhanced damage in San Francisco area earthquakes
◉ Alluvial.
Answer: Material deposited by water. P and S waves slow as they
travel through alluvial sand, gravel, clay, soil, etc. As the waves slow,
some of their energy is transferred to surface waves
◉ Shake maps.
Answer: The combination of all of these effects results in
widespread variation of the shaking felt in the vicinity of an
earthquake. Therefore, two earthquakes that have the same
magnitude can have very different impacts
◉ The earthquake cycle.
Answer: A hypothesis that explains successive earthquakes on a
fault. It is based on the idea that strain drops abruptly after an
earthquake and then slowly accumulates until the next earthquake.
As stress continues to increase, the deformed material will
eventually rupture
◉ Stage of the earthquake cycle.
, Answer: 1. An inactive period
2. A period where strain produces minor earthquakes
3, A period of foreshock prior to a major release of stress (this stage
does not always occur)
4. A period where the mainshock occurs allowing the fault to release
built-up stress
5. A period of aftershocks with epicenters in the same general area
as the main shock
The time between each stage varies
◉ Foreshock.
Answer: A small to moderate earthquake that occurs before and is in
the same general area as the main shock
◉ Geographic regions at risk of earthquakes.
Answer: Earthquakes are not randomly distributed. Most
earthquakes occur along plate boundaries:
Pacific Ring of Fire, Himalaya mountains, Middle East. North
American cities at high risk of earthquakes (Anchorage, Vancouver,
Victoria, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, LA, Mexico City). However,
not all areas at risk of earthquakes are near plate boundaries
◉ Plate boundary earthquakes.
