Earthquakes 2
Earthquakes 2Earthquakes can simply be defined as a naturally induced shaking of the ground caused by the fracture and sliding of rock within the earth's crust. There are at least 6,000 earthquakes detected throughout the world each year. Many people have heard about or experienced first hand the effects that an earthquake can have. But many people don't understand what causes them and what exactly is happening during an earthquake. In the following paper I will be explaining the causes and effects of earthquakes.
There are at least 6,000 earthquakes detected throughout the world each year. Of these 6,000 about 5,500 are either too small or too far away from populated areas to be felt. About 450 of these estimated 6,000 are felt but cause no damage and about 35 cause minor damage. The remaining 15, however, can take great tolls in death and suffering.
When an earthquake occurs, the earth's crust breaks along a surface known as a fault plane. Faults are not always visible at the surface of the earth. A fault is a fracture within a rocky mass within the earth's crust. The depth and the length of faults vary tremendously. Earthquakes are caused by faults that are active. An active fault is a fault along which the two sides of the fracture move with respect to each other. An earthquake is caused by the sudden movement of the two sides of the fault.
Faults are divided into three main groups, depending on how they move. There are normal faults which occur in response to pulling or tension. There are...
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