Question

What is the likelihood of triggering an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 or greater in the northern Appalachian Basin over the next decade if hydro-fracking continues, given that there's a 25% chance based on the available information?

Answer 1

There is a 25% chance of triggering a 5.0 or greater magnitude earthquake in the northern Appalachian Basin due to hydro-fracking activities over the next decade.

Step-by-step explanation:

The likelihood of triggering an earthquake with a magnitude of 5.0 or greater in the northern Appalachian Basin over the next decade, if hydro-fracking continues, is 25% based on the available information.

Hydraulic fracturing or fracking is a method used to extract natural gas that can induce seismic activity. Although rare, significant earthquakes attributed to fracking have been documented. Continuation of fracking activities could maintain or possibly increase the chance of such events, taking into account the geological nature of the region and previous seismic activities related to extraction processes.