An earthquake is a shaking of the ground caused by sudden release as energy an earth crust. Most earthquakes occur along the edge of the oceanic and continental plates. The earth’s crust, the outer layer of the planet, is made up of several pieces called plates. The plates under the ocean are called the oceanic plates. The plates are moved around by the motion of a deeper part of the earth the mantel that lies underneath the crust. These plates are always bumping each other pulling away from each other or past each other. These plates may bend or break. This break is called a fault.

 

Plates cause the fault in the earth. There are three main types of plates that cause faults.  Transform faults slide past each other in the opposite direction. Convergent faults collide or  push together. Divergent plates  move away from each other.

 

           

 

Earthquakes send out energy called seismic waves. Scientist measure these ways using a seismograph.

 

A Seismograph

 

 

You can measure an earthquake with a Richter scale. This scale measure the relative strengths ,or magnitudes of an earthquake. Dr. Charles F. Richter create this scale.

 

Some earthquake can cause a lot of damage. Many  strong earthquakes are caused by plates sliding past each other, or transform. Many earthquake occur on the pacific boundaries.

 

 

 

                                                                                                                 

 

Click on the yellow earth to get to the main page.                   Click on the earth to get to the quiz.