All earthquakes are caused by the movements of plates (called tectonic plates). Sometimes two or more plates will get caught on each other while they are moving. When they stop being caught on each other, the resulting motion is what people call an earthquake. Some places (like the California area) more than others (most of the Midwest) are susceptible to frequent earthquakes.
*Fun Fact: more people are killed after the earthquake (by fire and ruptured gas lines) than from the actual earthquake! - "The Janus List," NUMB3RS
PLATES
An earthquake IS caused by the movement of the plates under the ocean. And there is one active site which is known as "The Ring of Fire". +++ The "Ring of Fire" is a whole set of active sites right round the Pacific Ocean, above the subductions of the sea-floor plates below the surrounding continents.
Tectonic plates influence earthquakes because of convection cells that move the plates around. When the plates collide, they cause a shockwave of energy released in the form of a earthquake.
When tectonic plates collide an Earthquake is created.
a earthquakes act by the two plates next to each other shift and rub againts each other witch creates an earthquake.
An Earthquake
The movement of tectonic plates.
earthquake
The North American and Caribbean tectonic plates caused the Haiti earthquake in 2010. The movement along the boundary between these two plates resulted in the devastating earthquake.
Movement in the Earth's crust (plates).
the movement of the two tectonic plates
Earthquake activity is primarily caused by the movement of tectonic plates along fault lines. When these plates grind against each other, tension builds up until it is released in the form of an earthquake.
Colliding plates are connected to earthquake activity because the movement of these plates creates stress and pressure along their boundaries. When this stress is released suddenly, it causes the ground to shake, resulting in an earthquake.
The plates rub together causing the rocks to move and it causes the ground to shake forming an earthquake. The more the plates move, the bigger the earthquake number.
When two plates move together damaging both of the plates causing a large earthquake.
The San-Andreas fault line.
Tsunami and earthquake