Earthquake Essay

An earthquake occurs when there is a shaking of the Earth, caused by a buildup of energy in volcanic or tectonic form (“Earthquakes”). Essentially, an earthquake results from sections of the Earth moving, causing slippage. When two chunks of the Earth slip past each other, the point at which this happens is called the fault plane. In fact, an earthquake begins in the hypocenter beneath the Earth’s surface. Next, located right above the hypocenter is the epicenter (Wald). And finally, the main, and most important thing to remember about earthquakes is that they are random, and extremely hard to predict (“Earthquakes”).

Earthquakes happen when two tectonic plates touch each other. When those plates experience tension and friction, they lock up, preventing any kind of movement. As soon as the pressure is suddenly released, an earthquake can occur. The phenomenon of rock breaking along a fault can cause the ground to shake because of the release of energy being given off in the form of seismic waves (“Earthquakes”).

Plates on the outside layer of the Earth, called tectonic plates, are always moving and are roughly one hundred kilometers in thickness. In this case, an earthquake can happen as a result of the stress and movement caused by the plates rubbing back and forth. An earthquake can happen at measurements as great as seven hundred kilometers in length, when tectonic plates bump into each other. On the other hand, California for example, a place where its tectonic plates move past one another, experience shallower earthquakes. This type of earthquake is a result of the tectonic plates resisting and moving past one another along the ridges under the sea (“What causes earthquakes?”).

Intraplate earthquakes are earthquakes that do n...

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...ct so many people per year. In knowing what earthquakes are, people can learn to recognize the signs, and better educate themselves. Through grasping how an earthquake occurs, and where they happen in the world can better help people understand earthquakes as a whole. Also, in being mindful on how earthquakes are measured and their magnitude can help someone become better educated on the topic of earthquakes since they could happen at any time. Besides the fact, learning about the causes, foreshocks, mainshocks, and aftershocks are also vital in sensing earthquakes. Not only is it fundamental to know the facts behind earthquakes, it is also crucial to know where they occur, such as in places like Haiti, Japan, and Mexico. Earthquakes are not preventable, but in knowing the workings behind them, people can learn to cope with them to a greater degree.