The Causes of Earthquakes
Earthquakes are caused by faulting. Faulting is a sudden lateral or vertical movement of rock along a rupture (break) surface. The earth is divided into three main layers. The three main layers are the hard outer crust, the soft middle layer, and a center core. The outer crust is broken into massive, irregular pieces called plates. These plates move very slowly, driven by energy forces deep within the earth. Earthquakes occur when these moving plates grind and scrape against each another.
