Earthquakes Essay, Research Paper

An Earthquake, is when the earth’s surface shakes caused by rapid

movement of the earth’s rocky outer layer. Earthquakes occur when energy

stored within the earth, usually in the form of strain in rocks, suddenly

releases. This energy is transmitted to the surface of the earth by

earthquake waves. The study of earthquakes and the waves they create is

called seismology. That’s why they call Scientists who study earthquakes,

seismologists.

Some earthquakes are not strong enough to be felt by people,

but the shaking caused by an earthquake is recorded by a

seismogram. These are located all over the world at different

points. Earthquakes cause alot of damage and has been the cause

for many deaths around the world. The damage an earthquake

causes depends on its size, how long it lasts, or the amount of

shaking that occurs. The size varies from small, shaking to large

shocks felt miles away. Earthquakes can deform the ground, make

buildings and Homes collapse, and create tsunamis. Tsunamis are

very large ocean waves by an underwater earthquake or volcano

eruption.

Several million people have been killed by earthquakes around the

world For example when over 240,000 in the 1976 T’ang-Shan, China,

earthquake. Earthquakes have also caused severe damaged to earth all

over the world . Now in days people are more cautious because there are

such things as education, emergency planning, and constructing stronger,

more flexible, safely designed structures, prevent the loss of lots of lives

and lower the chance of damage.

Most Earthquakes are caused when pressure builds up within the

rocky crust which is what happens when the tectonic plates collide with

each ohter or slide past each other. Ground The shaking of the ground

leads to landslides and other soil movement. These are the main

damage-causing events that occur during an earthquake. Earthquakes

occur when pressure within the crust increases slowly over hundreds of

years and finally exceeds the strength and it causes an earthquake.

Earthquakes also occur when people participate in the filling of reservoirs

by putting stress in the earth’s crust.

. With improvements in technology, lives have been saved and

many more will.