Where a major earthquake has happened in the past, but not in a while, is called a seismic?
a)gap
b)wave
c)fault
d)scale
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Fault
The correct answer is (a) gap. In seismology, a gap refers to a section of an active fault line where a major earthquake has not occurred in a significant amount of time, despite the expectation that it should have. These gaps are areas where accumulated stress has not been released through seismic activity, making them potential sites for future earthquakes.
To determine the correct answer, it helps to understand the terms associated with earthquakes:
a) Gap: A region on a fault line that has not experienced a significant earthquake in a long time.
b) Wave: Refers to the energy that travels through the Earth during an earthquake. While waves are involved in earthquakes, they are not used to describe an area where a major earthquake has not occurred.
c) Fault: A fracture or zone of fractures along which rocks on either side have moved past each other. Faults are associated with earthquakes but do not specifically refer to areas where major earthquakes have not occurred.
d) Scale: The scale refers to measurements used to determine the size and intensity of an earthquake, such as the Richter scale or the moment magnitude scale. While scale is an important concept in understanding earthquakes, it does not relate to areas where major earthquakes have not occurred.
By understanding the definitions and concepts behind each term and comparing them to the given options, you can determine that the correct answer is (a) gap.