What is an Earthquake?
An earthquake is a shaking of the ground which is caused by the movement and breaking of large sections of the Earth's crust. These large sections are also known as tectonic plates. The edges of these tectonic plates are marked by faults. Most earthquakes will occur along these faults when the plates slide or collide against each other.
The earth has four major layers:
- inner core
- outer core
- mantle
- crust
The crust and mantle create a thin skin on the surface of the Earth. This is where the tectonic plates are located.
When the tectonic plates are not moving they are stuck together and storing energy that would normally be used to make the tectonic plates slide against each other. When the force finally overcomes the friction of the jagged edges of the fault and the plates unstick, all of that energy is released which causes the earth to shake.
The earth has four major layers:
- inner core
- outer core
- mantle
- crust
The crust and mantle create a thin skin on the surface of the Earth. This is where the tectonic plates are located.
When the tectonic plates are not moving they are stuck together and storing energy that would normally be used to make the tectonic plates slide against each other. When the force finally overcomes the friction of the jagged edges of the fault and the plates unstick, all of that energy is released which causes the earth to shake.