According to global seismograph networks, approximately 8,000 to 10,000 earthquakes occur annually that are strong enough to be felt or recorded as significant events. While millions of tiny tremors happen every year, the majority are so small that they can only be detected by extremely sensitive instruments and do not cause any notice or damage. ANSWER: (D) 8,000 to 10,000
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The Earth is in a constant state of tectonic adjustment. On average, there is one “Great” earthquake (8.0+) per year, about 15 “Major” quakes (7.0–7.9) and over 1,000 “Moderate” quakes. When we count everything down to magnitude 2.0, the number jumps to over a million per year (about 3,000 a day). The range of 8,000–10,000 typically refers to those that are significant enough to be cataloged in a general global record. This constant activity is the result of the Earth’s heat engine driving plate tectonics, ensuring that the crust is always under stress somewhere on the planet.