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Most earthquakes occur along the edge of the oceanic and continental plates. The earth's crust (the outer layer of the planet) is made up of several pieces, called plates. The plates under the oceans are called oceanic plates and the rest are continental plates. The plates are moved around by the motion of a deeper part of the earth (the mantle) that lies underneath the crust. These plates are always bumping into each other, pulling away from each other, or past each other. The plates usually move at about the same speed that your fingernails grow. Earthquakes usually occur where two plates are running into each other or sliding past each other.
Figure 1 - An image of the world's plates and their boundaries. Notice that many plate boundaries do not coincide with Coastlines.
Along Faults
Earthquakes can also occur far from the edges of plates, along faults. Faults are cracks in the earth where sections of a plate (or two plates) are moving in different directions. Faults are caused by all that bumping and sliding the plates do. They are more common near the edges of the plates.
Types of Faults
Normal faults are the cracks where one block of rock is sliding downward and away from another block of rock. These faults usually occur in areas where a plate is very slowly splitting apart or where two plates are pulling away from each other. A normal fault is defined by the hanging wall moving down relative to the footwall, which is moving up.
Figure 2 - A normal fault. The 'footwall' is on the 'upthrown' side of the fault, moving upwards. The 'hanging wall' is on the 'downthrown' side of the fault, moving downwards.
Reverse faults are cracks formed where one plate is pushing into another plate. They also occur where a plate is folding up because it's being compressed by another plate pushing against it. At these faults, one block of rock is sliding underneath another block or one block is being pushed up over the other. A reverse fault is defined by the hanging wall moving up relative to the footwall, which is moving down.
Figure 3 - A reverse fault. This time, the 'footwall' is on the 'downthrown' side of the fault, moving downwards, and the 'hanging wall' is on the 'upthrown' side of the fault, moving upwards. When the hanging wall is on the upthrown side, it 'hangs' over the footwall.
Strike-slip faults are the cracks between two plates that are sliding past each other. You can find these kinds of faults in California. The San Andreas fault is a strike-slip fault. It's the most famous California fault and has caused a lot of powerful earthquakes.
Figure 4 - Two strike-slip faults. (left), A left-lateral strike-slip fault. No matter which side of the fault you are on, the other side is moving to the left. (right), A right-lateral strike-slip fault. No matter which side of the fault you are on, the other side is moving to the right.
Norris Bernhard
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoThree of the World's Most Powerful Earthquakes Since 1900 were in South America.. So that would be a pretty good answer. Although there is no way to consider one single region as the region with the most powerful earthquakes.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoIn the eastern united states. Somewhat downward north but mostly eastern u.s
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Why do most volcanoes occur around the Pacific Ocean?
Most volcanoes and earthquakes occur around the Pacific Ocean basin in a roughly horseshoe shaped ring called the Rim or Ring of Fire. This is where the seismic activity is most intense due to the movement of the tectonic plates.
Most of the information about earth's interior was obtained by studying?
seismic waves that travel through the earth
Where is earthquakes most likely to occur?
earthquakes are most likely to occur on the rim of tectonic plates
What seismic wave causes the most damage?
Seismic wave
What country in Russia has earthquakes most often?
Indonesia has the most earthquakes because it's in a very active seismic zone, but Indonesia is a very large country. The country with the most earthquakes per unit area is probably Tonga or Fiji.
Where does most seismic activity occur?
Most seismic activities are associated with areas of active tectonism. So earthquakes occurs principally in such areas.
Why doesn't the UK have any tectonic activity?
In very simple terms, the UK has very little seismic activity due to it's location on the Eurasion tectonic plate. If you click this link you'll see the location of the tectonic plates of the Earth. Most seismic activity occurs along the fault lines, where plates converge or submerge. The UK is not located near a fault, so little seismic activity occurs.
Why do most volcanoes occur around the Pacific Ocean?
Most volcanoes and earthquakes occur around the Pacific Ocean basin in a roughly horseshoe shaped ring called the Rim or Ring of Fire. This is where the seismic activity is most intense due to the movement of the tectonic plates.
What is an earthquake belts?
An earthquake belt is a narrow zone on the Earth's surface where most seismic activity occurs. These are usually located at plate boundaries or fault lines.
Which place on earth has the most earthquakes?
Many occur along the Ring of Fire (where many volcanoes are located; volcanic activity and seismic activity are both caused by fluctuations in the Earth's crust due to unrest in the mesosphere), as well as along faults on the western coast of the United States. Earthquakes occur there daily. As a matter of fact, Earthquakes occur constantly along any plate boundary or fault, but the two places I just mentioned suffer from more severe earthquakes that occur more frequently.
Which process is most likely to occur in an after-activity review?
Which process is most likely to occur in an after-activity review
What is the belt of volcanic and seismic activity that borders most of the Pacific Rim?
pacific ring of fire
How do most elements on earth occur?
Most elements on the Earth occur as oxides or silicates.
Most of the information about earth's interior was obtained by studying?
seismic waves that travel through the earth
What type of plate boundary is earthquakes locations?
All boundaries produce seismic activity, however convergent and transform boundaries have the most activity.
How do scientist make predictions of a volcano activity?
A dormant volcano may have its activity monitored by looking at ground tilt, at magnetic field changes, by local seismic activity, and by the behaviour of regional hot pools. Of these techniques, seismic signals may give the most warning.
Where does most of the metabolic activity in a cell occur?
Most of the metabolic activity in the cell occur in the cell's cytoplasm, specifically in the mitochondria in eukaryotic (not bacterial or archaeal) cells.
