Tectonic hazards — earthquakes & volcanoes
Edexcel GCSE Geography revision on Tectonic hazards — earthquakes & volcanoes. Aligned to the Pearson Edexcel GCSE Geography B 1GB0 specification. This bank has 10 practice questions on this topic.
Sample questions (3 of 10)
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Question 1
Which type of plate boundary is characterised by two plates sliding past each other?
- A) Constructive
- B) Destructive
- C) Conservative
- D) Collision
Show answer
Answer: Conservative
At conservative plate boundaries, plates often get stuck due to friction. When the pressure is finally released, it causes a sudden jolt, resulting in an earthquake without volcanic activity.
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Question 2
What is the name of the point directly above the earthquake focus on the surface of the Earth?
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Answer: Epicentre
The focus is the point inside the crust where the earthquake begins. The epicentre is the point on the surface directly above this, where the shaking is usually most intense.
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Question 3
Which scale is used to measure the total energy released by an earthquake?
- A) Richter scale
- B) Mercalli scale
- C) Moment Magnitude scale
- D) Beaufort scale
Show answer
Answer: Moment Magnitude scale
While the Richter scale was historically used, the Moment Magnitude scale is now the standard for scientists as it provides a more accurate measurement of energy for larger earthquakes. The Mercalli scale measures intensity based on observed damage rather than energy.
Want to test yourself on the remaining cards for this topic?
7 more questions on Tectonic hazards — earthquakes & volcanoes — plus mistakes tracking and spaced repetition across the whole Geography spec.