So need help in my understanding here. My knowledge is earthquakes are caused by the tectonic plates rubbing together/pulling apart. And that the plates move very slowly.
If it is caused by slow and steady movement of the tectonic plates. What is it that is happening that causes all that energy to be released suddenly and causing an earthquake? Is it simply that part of the plate breaks causing alot of movement suddenly or is there something else in play?
Thanks
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Earthquakes are caused by the sudden release of energy that has been stored in the Earth’s crust. This energy is built up over time as the tectonic plates move and interact with each other. This movement is slow and steady, but when the pressure between the plates reaches a certain point, the plates suddenly slip, releasing the stored energy in the form of seismic waves. These waves travel through the Earth’s crust, causing the ground to shake and resulting in an earthquake.
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