Instructions
Read the following material carefully and answer the questions that follow. Why Do Earthquakes Happen? Earthquakes occur because of the movement of tectonic plates in the Earth's crust. The Earth's crust is broken into large pieces called tectonic plates. When these plates move past each other, they get stuck at their edges. As the plates continue to move, they create increasing stress. When the stress becomes too great, the plates suddenly move, releasing energy in the form of seismic waves, which is what causes the ground to shake during an earthquake.Questions
1. (Short Answer)2.
3. What is released when tectonic plates move suddenly?
(Short Answer)
4. Why do earthquakes occur at the boundaries of tectonic plates?
5. Write a brief summary explaining how plate tectonics contributes to earthquake formation.