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Hazards

How Earthquakes Happen

  • 4 things to know
  • Component 1

Overview

Recall questions on why stress builds at plate boundaries, what happens to rocks under that stress and what defines an earthquake.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

Your recallNot started
Key term

Why does stress build up at plate boundaries before an earthquake?

Key term

Define an earthquake.

Key term

Why do P-waves arrive at seismograph stations before other seismic waves?

Process

Explain how accumulated stress becomes an earthquake.

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Why does stress build up at plate boundaries before an earthquake?

    Model answer

    Friction between plates prevents smooth movement, causing stress to accumulate over time.

  2. 2

    What happens to rocks as tectonic stress accumulates at a plate boundary?

    Model answer

    Rocks deform elastically, storing energy until the stress exceeds their strength.

  3. 3

    What occurs when accumulated stress in rocks exceeds their strength?

    Model answer

    Sudden rupture occurs, releasing the stored energy as seismic waves.

  4. 4

    Define an earthquake.

    Model answer

    A sudden release of energy from the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves.

  5. 5

    What are shockwaves in the context of earthquakes?

    Model answer

    Seismic waves that radiate outward from the earthquake focus through the Earth and along its surface.

  6. 6

    What type of wave are P-waves and what can they travel through?

    Model answer

    P-waves are compressional waves that can travel through both solids and liquids.

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