🌍🌍Earth Science
What Causes Earthquakes?
"Why does the ground shake sometimes?"
💡 Simple Explanation
The Earth's surface is like a cracked eggshell made of giant puzzle pieces called tectonic plates. These plates are always slowly moving - about as fast as your fingernails grow! Sometimes the edges of plates get stuck against each other. Pressure builds up, like when you keep pushing on something. When they finally snap free and move - SHAKE! The energy zooms out in waves, making the ground wiggle. Places where plates meet have the most earthquakes.
🎉 Fun Fact!
There are about 500,000 earthquakes every year, but most are too small to feel!