Science
How do earthquakes happen?
An earthquake happens when stress built up along cracks in Earth's crust is suddenly released. Tectonic plates grind against each other, getting stuck and then slipping, sending out waves of energy that shake the ground.
See it in motion.
Watch a 2-minute animated lesson that shows exactly how earthquakes works.
Step by step
- 1Earth's crust is broken into moving tectonic plates.
- 2Plates get stuck along faults as stress builds.
- 3When they suddenly slip, energy is released.
- 4That energy travels as seismic waves that shake the ground.
Frequently asked questions
- What causes earthquakes?
- The sudden release of stress when tectonic plates that were stuck along a fault slip past each other.
- Where do earthquakes happen most?
- Along the boundaries of tectonic plates, like the Pacific 'Ring of Fire'.
- Can earthquakes be predicted?
- Not precisely — scientists can map risk zones, but exact timing remains impossible to forecast.