Earthquakes are a common occurrence at plate boundaries, particularly at subduction zones and transform boundaries.
Earthquakes occur when the energy stored in the rocks is released due to a sudden movement of the plates.
The epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
The focus is the point where the rock breaks and releases energy.
Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur after the main earthquake.
P-waves are the fastest seismic waves and travel through solid rock.
Seismic waves are the waves of energy that travel through the Earth during an earthquake.
Surface waves are the slowest and largest seismic waves and cause the most damage.
S-waves are slower than P-waves and travel through solid rock, but not liquid.
The force of an earthquake can be measured by the Richter scale, which ranges from 1 to 10. A magnitude 8 earthquake is considered a great earthquake and can cause widespread damage.
The Richter scale is used to measure the magnitude of an earthquake.
Earthquakes can cause damage to buildings, roads, and other structures.
Earthquakes can cause soil liquefaction, where solid ground turns into a liquid-like substance and causes buildings to sink.
Earthquakes can cause tsunamis if they occur beneath the ocean.
Earthquakes can cause tsunamis, which are large ocean waves that can cause devastating damage to coastal communities.
The largest earthquake on record was a magnitude 9.5 earthquake in Chile in 1960.
The most destructive earthquake in recent history was the 2010 Haiti earthquake, which killed over 200,000 people.