How Do Earthquakes Happen Underground?

Imagine you're playing with building blocks. If one side of the block pile moves and the other doesn't, it can cause a shake. Earthquakes work like this: tectonic plates move underground, and when they suddenly shift, the ground above shakes.

Tectonic plates are huge slabs that make up the Earth's surface. They float on something called the mantle, which is like a hot, slow-moving soup beneath them.

Sometimes, the plates get stuck and then suddenly move. This sudden movement sends shockwaves through the ground, causing an earthquake.