Jan 30, 2025 · Earthquake, any sudden shaking of the ground caused by the passage of seismic waves through Earth’s rocks. Earthquakes occur most often along geologic faults, narrow zones where rock masses move in relation to one another.

What is an earthquake and what causes them to happen? An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault. The tectonic plates are always slowly moving, but they get stuck at their edges due to friction.

How can scientists tell where the earthquake happened? Seismograms come in handy for locating earthquakes too, and being able to see the P wave and the S wave is important. You learned how P & S waves each shake the ground in different ways as they travel through it.

In its most general sense, the word earthquake is used to describe any seismic event that generates seismic waves. Earthquakes can occur naturally or be induced by human activities, such as mining, fracking, and nuclear weapons testing.

Learn the science behind how earthquakes happen—and how you can stay safe if one hits. You feel the ground suddenly shake, and nearby objects are trembling. An earthquake is happening. Also...

Why do earthquakes happen and what are the different kinds of quakes? Caltech scientists explains the science behind the shaking.

Earthquakes are usually caused when underground rock suddenly breaks and there is rapid motion along a fault. This sudden release of energy causes the seismic waves that make the ground shake.

Jan 14, 2025 · An earthquake is an intense shaking of Earth’s surface. The shaking is caused by movements in Earth’s outermost layer. Why Do Earthquakes Happen? Although the Earth looks like a pretty solid place from the surface, it’s actually extremely active just below the surface.

Apr 20, 2018 · Earthquakes develop when tectonic plates, the massive "jigsaw pieces" that make up the crust of the earth, move suddenly, sending shockwaves through neighboring area. Movement in the Earth's crust causes an earthquake.

Over 90% of earthquakes – including almost all of the largest and most destructive ones – happen at or near so-called plate boundaries, where the 15 or so major subdivisions (“plates”) of the Earth’s crust and uppermost mantle move towards, alongside, or away from each other [1].