Earthquakes and Tectonic Plates

The fault slipping

Energy that gets sent through the ground during an earthquake

Seismic waves that travel through the earth's interior

Seismic waves that radiate outward across the surface of the earth

The point on the surface directly above the focus of an earthquake

Body waves

Body waves and surface waves

The theory that fault slipping causes the ground to shake during an earthquake

The main cause of earthquakes is the movement of tectonic plates along plate boundaries.

Tectonic plates are pieces of the Earth's crust that fit together like puzzle pieces.

Tectonic plates move because the Earth's mantle underneath them is fluid-like and causes the plates to float and slide past each other.

When tectonic plates slide past and bump into each other, tension and pressure are created, sometimes causing the plates to stick together.

An earthquake occurs when the tension between two locked plates becomes too great and they suddenly break free from each other.

Earthquakes are considered dangerous because they strike with little or no warning and can cause catastrophic damage to buildings, roads, and bridges.

The 'Ring of Fire' is an area where most of the world's earthquakes occur because it lines up with many of the plate boundaries.

The San Andreas Fault in California is one of the most famous faults because it runs much of the length of the state and is very active.

The theory of elastic rebound explains that faults slip during an earthquake and cause ground shaking.

The movement of faults causes the ground to shake during an earthquake.

Seismic waves are waves of energy that are released during an earthquake and travel through the Earth.

The epicenter is the center of the earthquake on the Earth's surface, directly above the focus.