Lesson Y8-U01-L06

Measuring Earthquakes: The Moment Magnitude Scale Quiz: KS3 Geography, Unit 7

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson Y8-U01-L06, Measuring Earthquakes: The Moment Magnitude Scale: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Geography (National Curriculum), Unit 7: Year 8: Restless Earth: Tectonic Hazards, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What instrument detects and records ground shaking?

    • Anemometer
    • Barometer
    • Seismometer
    • Thermometer

  2. What is the printed trace of an earthquake called?

    • Hydrograph
    • Topograph
    • Seismograph
    • Isoline

  3. What is the role of the heavy weight in a seismometer?

    • Stays still
    • Measures heat
    • Amplifies sound
    • Spins fast

  4. What does a taller wiggle on a seismograph recording show?

    • Faster seismic waves
    • Stronger ground movement
    • Higher air pressure
    • Deaper earthquake focus

  5. Which scale replaced the Richter scale for measuring large earthquakes?

    • Moment magnitude scale
    • Beaufort scale
    • Mercalli scale
    • Richter scale

  6. What type of mathematical scale is the moment magnitude scale?

    • Categorical scale
    • Logarithmic scale
    • Linear scale
    • Ordinal scale

  7. About how many times more energy is released for each whole step of magnitude?

    • About 32 times
    • About 2 times
    • About 10 times
    • About 100 times

  8. Why do scientists use multiple seismometer stations for an earthquake?

    • Reduce cost
    • Measure depth
    • Increase speed
    • Improve reliability

  9. How many times more shaking is a magnitude 8 earthquake than a magnitude 6 earthquake?

    • About 1,000 times more
    • About 100 times more
    • About 2 times more
    • About 20 times more

  10. How much more shaking does a magnitude 5 earthquake produce than a magnitude 4?

    • About 32 times more
    • About 2 times more
    • About 100 times more
    • About 10 times more

  11. Which pair of earthquakes would differ by about 1,000 times in shaking?

    • Magnitude 5 and magnitude 6
    • Magnitude 4 and magnitude 7
    • Magnitude 6 and magnitude 6.5
    • Magnitude 4 and magnitude 5

  12. What do seismograph records typically show at stations further from the epicentre?

    • No seismic waves
    • Smaller wiggles
    • Taller wiggles
    • Constant amplitude

  13. Roughly how much more shaking does a magnitude 6 earthquake produce than a magnitude 3?

    • 1000 times
    • 2 times
    • 30 times
    • 6 times

  14. What part of a seismometer stays still while the ground moves during an earthquake?

    • Rotating drum
    • Heavy weight
    • Outer casing
    • Recording pen

  15. Why do geographers check readings from multiple stations after recording an earthquake?

    • To measure rainfall
    • To confirm magnitude
    • To locate clouds
    • To predict weather

  16. Which magnitude shakes the ground about 10 times more than magnitude 3?

    • Magnitude 3.5
    • Magnitude 5
    • Magnitude 6
    • Magnitude 4

  17. Why is a logarithmic scale best for measuring earthquakes?

    • Easy weather tracking
    • Simple linear counting
    • Constant wave speed
    • Wide energy range

  18. What does it mean when two seismometer stations record identical wiggle heights?

    • The quake stopped
    • Waves gained energy
    • Instruments are broken
    • Readings are consistent

  19. Why is a magnitude 8 earthquake much more dangerous than a magnitude 6?

    • Slower seismic waves
    • Shallow focus only
    • Higher wind speeds
    • Much more energy

  20. Why is the earthquake magnitude scale not a simple counting scale?

    • It measures wind
    • Numbers never change
    • Steps multiply shaking
    • Values are random

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