Which is likely to experience more damage during an earthquake, a house built on a solid rock ledge or a nearby house built on a soil river bank? explain your answer.

From the options given the house that is more likely to experience more damage during an earthquake is :  A nearby house built on a soil river bank

An earthquake is caused by the sudden release of energy by the earths' crust, this released energy forms seismic waves and the seismic waves cause intense vibrations on the earth surface and might sometimes cause tsunamis as well.

The seismic waves will have more effect ( transmitted easily ) where the soil is loosely packed therefore the house built on a soil river bank will experience more damage when compared to the house built on a solid rock ledge  because solid rocks absorb shock waves better than loosely packed soils ( soil river bank )

Hence the house that will experience more damage during an earthquake is a house built on a soil river bank.

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The house built on a soil river bank would experience more damage as compared to the house build on solid rock ledge.

The soil in the river bank is loosely packed due to the presence of the moisture. When the earthquake approaches this reason, the foundation of the building would shook more, which causes more shaking of the house and more damage.

In the house built on a rock would experience less shaking as the rock is tougher and cannot easily distorted.