🫨 EARTHQUAKES: SHAKY GROUND
PAGE 1 OF 5, WHAT IS AN EARTHQUAKE?
SHAKE
WHEN THE GROUND RATTLES
An earthquake is a sudden shaking of the ground. It often starts when rock along a crack, called a fault, sticks and then slips. Energy stored in that stuck rock races outward as shaking waves. Some quakes feel like a soft rumble. Stronger ones can rattle windows, crack pavement, and make standing hard. Earthquakes are a normal part of how Earth's crust moves, not magic or an angry sky.
⚡ DID YOU KNOW?
Most big earthquakes happen near the edges of tectonic plates, where rock is already under stress.
SHAKE!
FAULT
📐 A fault is a crack in rock where blocks can slide past each other.
🧩 Many faults sit near plate edges, where Earth's puzzle pieces grind.
🧩 Many faults sit near plate edges, where Earth's puzzle pieces grind.
NOT ALWAYS
😌 Most days near a fault feel totally normal and quiet under your feet.
⏳ Stress can build for a long time before rock finally slips and shakes.
⏳ Stress can build for a long time before rock finally slips and shakes.