In earthquake studies and seismology, the lines drawn on a map joining places that experience the same intensity of seismic shaking are known by which technical name?

Introduction / Context:
Cartographic representation of earthquake effects is an important part of basic geography and earth science. When an earthquake occurs, ground shaking is not uniform. To represent how strongly different places were affected, seismologists draw lines of equal intensity. Knowing the standard technical term for these lines is a typical exam question in general knowledge and geology related sections.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• We are dealing with lines that join points experiencing equal intensity of seismic waves or shaking.
• The context is mapping earthquake effects on a regional map.
• Four terms are given, only one is the standard term in seismology.

Concept / Approach:
In seismology, lines of equal intensity of shaking are called isoseismic lines. The prefix iso means equal, and seismic refers to earthquake related phenomena. This parallels other map terms such as isobars for equal pressure and isotherms for equal temperature. Isogonal and isogonic have specialised meanings in geomagnetism, not in seismology, and seismic line is not the conventional technical term for equal intensity lines.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Identify the key phrase in the question, which is equal intensity of seismic waves.Step 2: Recall standard mapping terms where iso indicates equality of a particular quantity.Step 3: Match iso with seismic to form isoseismic, meaning equal seismic intensity.Step 4: Check the options and locate Isoseismic line as one of the choices.Step 5: Select Isoseismic line as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
Another way to verify is to compare with other physical geography terms. Isobath connects points of equal depth in oceans, isohyets connect points of equal rainfall, and isobars connect points of equal pressure. Seismology follows the same pattern with isoseismal or isoseismic lines, reinforcing that Isoseismic line is the accepted terminology.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Seismic line is a vague descriptive phrase and is not the technical cartographic term for equal intensity lines. Isogonal and isogonic lines relate to equal magnetic bearings or equal magnetic variation and are used in magnetic field maps, not in earthquake intensity mapping. Therefore these options do not correctly represent lines of equal seismic intensity.

Common Pitfalls:
A frequent pitfall is confusion between similar sounding terms like isogonals, isogonics, and isoseismics. Another issue is that some learners think any term containing seismic must be correct. It is important to pay attention to the iso prefix and recall where each term is used to avoid mixing up different branches of geophysics.

Final Answer:
The lines that join places with equal intensity of shaking during an earthquake are called Isoseismic line, which is the correct option.