E1
Lesson Summary
Vocabulary Link
- earthquake
- fault
- An earthquake is a vibration or shaking motion of the Earth’s crust.
- Most earthquakes happen along fractures in the Earth's crust, called faults.
- The overwhelming majority of earthquakes occur on or near plate boundaries around the Pacific Ocean.
- Earthquakes are caused by the rapid release of stored energy in rocks. This stored energy is the result of stress buildup caused by rock movement.
- Volcanic eruptions create minor earthquakes, but are not the major cause of earthquakes.