Question

What are earthquakes?

Answer 1

Answer:

Earthquakes are caused by a sudden release of violent ground energy caused either by the shifting of the earth’s crust or volcanic/magmatic activity. Most earthquakes occur when two sides of a fault slide past each other. The crust may either be being compressed, pulled apart, moving sideways or a combination of these. The resulting seismic waves are felt as earthquakes.

(OR)

An earthquake is caused by a sudden slip on a fault. The tectonic plates are always slowly moving, but they get stuck at their edges due to friction. When the stress on the edge overcomes the friction, there is an earthquake that releases energy in waves that travel through the earth's crust and cause the shaking that we feel.

Answer 2

Answer:

Earthquakes are caused by a sudden release of violent ground energy caused either by the shifting of the earth's crust or volcanic/magmatic activity. Most earthquakes occur when two sides of a fault slide past each other. ... The resulting seismic waves are felt as earthquakes.