Why does the earth shake during a earthquake?

Answer 1

It is because of the moving of rock deep under the ground. This movement is caused by the rubbing of one plate into another. The plates have jagged edges, and so when they rub against each other, they get stuck. Since plates constantly move, the plates that are stuck create great tension, and when they are finally free, a huge amount of energy is released. Shock waves move from focus in all directions, and it causes the earth to vibrate.

Answer 2

Earthquakes are a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust. The energy causes highly energetic vibrations (seismic waves) within rock layers that may be amplified when they reach the surface, which is under less pressure and is therefore more easily moved.

Earthquakes most commonly occur at the boundaries of tectonic plates where stresses accumulate in the Earth's crust over time, causing energy to be stored in the form of elastic strain (like that in a compressed spring). Ultimately this stress will exceed the shear strength of the crust in the fault or boundary zone causing a sudden brittle failure or rupture.

This in turn causes movement and a sudden release of the stored elastic strain energy in the form of seismic waves (as well as heat) causing an earthquake.These seismic waves cause the ground motions or shaking.

Answer 3

the ground shakes during an earthquake because the plates underneath are continuously moving at a slow pace, but as they are moving they are rubbing against each other and eventually on plate will slip under another and this sudden 'shift' causes an earth quake. ...>rag<

Answer 4

The Plates Deep, Deep Down In The Earth Cause An Earthquake. When 2 Plates Rub Together They Cause Friction Which Makes Heat And The Heat Rises Up And Out The Crust Of The Earth. When That Happens, The Ground Shakes. Earthquake Is Another Word For "Forming Volcano".-BrittersM

...Disregard the above answer. Earthquakes are the result of built up stress being released along a fault. Tectonic plates move, but they are not always moving. Two plates often become 'locked up' with one another. Once the amount of stress becomes too great, the built up energy is suddenly released and displacement occurs. This energy travels in the form of seismic waves.

Answer 5

The Earth is covered by a shell of independently moving plates of rock. At points of contact between the plates, the rock grinds, subducts, and pulls away from each other, depending on the type of boundary. The movement of rock against rock creates the vibrations we know as earthquakes.

Answer 6

It result from the moving of rock deep under the ground. This movement is caused by the rubbing of one plate into another. The plates have jagged edges, and so when they rub against each other, they get stuck. Since plates constantly move, the plates that are stuck create great tension, and when they are finally free, a huge amount of energy is released. Shock waves move from focus in all directions, and it causes the earth to vibrate.

Answer 7

The earths crust is made up of many large pieces that are sort of floating on the molten lava core. When these pieces or plates move, as they always do it is felt as an earthquake, especially when they bump or slide against one another. This is how many of our mountain raanges were formed. For a good example of how they move take a look at the Galapagos Islands, they were all formed by the same vent, but since the plate under the pacific is always moving it looks like many small islands. If that piece had stayed in the same place there would have been only one really big island.

Answer 8

The P-waves and S-waves spread out away from the epicenter and cause movement (Shaking).

Answer 9

Earthquakes shake the ground because the earth is apart of the ground. Its bacially just the way God made the earth.

Answer 10

cause the tectonic plates shake everywhere on earth