How Do Earthquakes Actually Happen?

Imagine two friends pushing against each other, if they suddenly let go, the whole room might shake. Earthquakes work like that! The ground is made of big pieces called plates. When these plates move or push, they can cause a sudden shake in the earth, just like when your friend lets go and you both fall back.

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Examples

When you push two blocks together on a table and then let go, the table shakes, just like when plates move.
Your friend pulling their foot out from under yours suddenly makes you trip, that’s like an earthquake happening.
If your toy car hits a wall and bounces back, it causes a little shake in the room.

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Categories: Science · earthquakes· tectonic plates· geology