An earthquake is a violent, unexpected vibration of the ground due to the movement of rocks deep beneath the earth’s surface.Earthquakes are sometimes small enough that they can’t even be felt or large enough to propel items and people into the air, wreaking havoc on entire cities. Fires, landslides, tsunamis, and avalanches are all the results of an earthquake.In its broadest definition, the term earthquake refers to any seismic event that generates seismic waves, whether natural or created by humans. Seismic waves are produced when energy held in the earth’s crust is released suddenly, usually when masses of rock straining against each other crack and slip.Dive in to learn more about earthquakes. Check out our other articles on When was the titanic built? and When was the zipper invented?Where and why do earthquakes occur?Earthquakes can occur at any time and in any area around the world. However, earthquakes happen more common in some places of the world than in others. Earthquakes occur and happen along tectonic plate borders and fault zones. Over 80% of big earthquakes strike near the edges of the Pacific Ocean, known as the ring of fire, where the Pacific plate is pressed below other plates. The ring of fire contains the world’s most volcanically and seismically active zone. The Alpide belt and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, which runs over the floor of the Atlantic Ocean, are two other earthquake-prone areas.Earth’s crust consists of a solid inner core, a molten outer core, a substantial and mainly solid mantle, and a comparatively thin crust. The earth’s outer surface is not continuous and consists of huge portions known as tectonic plates, and the plate edges are known as plate boundaries. Plate tectonics causes cracks in continental or oceanic plates, which are known as faults. Many faults make up plate boundaries, and as the plates pull away from each other at diverging plate boundaries, most volcanoes and earthquakes occur along these faults around the world.An earthquake is usually triggered by subsurface rock breaking unexpectedly and rushing along a fault. This abrupt release of energy causes seismic waves that shake the ground. When the plate has shifted far enough, the margins of one of the faults unstick, and an earthquake occurs.Where are earthquakes mainly caused?An earthquake can strike everywhere, but wouldn’t it be wonderful if we knew where and when the next one would hit? Predicting when an earthquake will strike is not possible; scientists can only estimate the likelihood of a major earthquake occurring in a particular place within a certain number of years.Earthquakes happen along the boundary between tectonic plates or along faults, which are breaks within the plates. Earthquakes occur along the edges of ocean and continental plates or where the oceanic and continental plates meet. The crust is extremely fragile along fault lines, and disruptions along these lines could result in catastrophic earthquakes.The Pacific ring of fire is an earthquake zone home to 81% of the world’s most significant earthquakes. This location is prone to earthquakes due to young, rising mountains and volcanoes, deep ocean trenches, tectonic plate boundary, and other tectonically active formations. The belt stretches from Chile northwards through South America’s Pacific coast, across Central America, and into North America, ending in Mexico, and reaches down the US West Coast. California and Alaska are the two states where the most damaging earthquakes occurred. China, Iran, Indonesia, Turkey, and Japan are the top five earthquake-prone countries in the world.Did you know that Japan is the country where we locate most earthquakes? The high frequency of earthquakes in Japan is related to its geological location along the pacific ring of fire. The Pacific plate, the Philippine plate, the Eurasia plate, and the North America plate all meet in Japan. They also have the world’s densest seismic network, allowing them to record many earthquakes.China and Iran are reported to be large earthquakes, causing the most damage and casualties. China lies in one of the most seismically active areas, and therefore, is prone to more earthquakes. The earthquake hazards and damages are high in China as, in addition to being the world’s most populous country, China is also extraordinarily densely populated.Antarctica has the fewest or no earthquakes of any continent, although minor earthquakes can happen anywhere. The states having the fewest earthquakes are Florida and North Dakota.What is the safest place to be during an earthquake?Did you know how and where to stay if an earthquake occurred? If you instantly drop, cover, and hold on, you can protect yourself in most instances.If you’re indoors, don’t leave; move into a hallway or against an inner wall, or get beneath a desk or table and grab on to it. Keep a safe distance from windows, fires, and large furniture or appliances. Get out of the kitchen, which is a potentially deadly environment. If your building is swaying or there is a risk of falling and injuring yourself or being hit by falling glass or debris, do not rush downstairs or outside. If you’re outside, get out into the open, away from any buildings, electricity lines, chimneys, or other hazards that could fall on you.It is usually safer to be upstairs during severe earthquakes than it is to be on the ground level. Trying to dash downstairs in a hurry can be perilous.What are the three main causes of earthquakes?Earthquakes can be caused by humans or natural disasters, with the latter being more often. These earthquakes are not random; instead, they result from various changes in the earth’s crust occurring for a long time.The three main causes of an earthquake are volcanic eruptions, geological faults, and tectonic movement.Volcanic eruptions are the primary source of earthquakes. Such earthquakes are common in places where volcanic activity is common.Mild earthquakes are caused by two tectonic plates moving away from each other. Destructive plate boundaries occur when two plates move towards each other and clash. This is quite harmful. Conservative refers to the crossing of crust plates. This type of earthquake has a range of magnitudes.The displacement of plates from their original plane is known as a geological fault. These planes emerge out of nowhere but rather grow over time. Tectonic earthquakes are caused by the movement of rocks along these planes.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! 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An earthquake is a violent, unexpected vibration of the ground due to the movement of rocks deep beneath the earth’s surface.
