![]() ![]() Scientists can measure these seismic waves on instruments called seismometer. The energy from an earthquake travels through Earth in vibrations called seismic waves. However, the vibrations from an earthquake can still be felt and detected hundreds, or even thousands of miles away from the epicenter. An earthquake’s most intense shaking is often felt near the epicenter. The location where an earthquake begins is called the epicenter. This photograph shows the San Andreas Fault, a 750-mile-long fault in California. An earthquake is the sudden movement of Earth’s crust at a fault line. When tectonic plates move, it also causes movements at the faults. When the stresses get too large, it leads to cracks called faults. This non-stop movement causes stress on Earth’s crust. Tectonic plates are constantly shifting as they drift around on the viscous, or slowly flowing, mantle layer below.Įarth's crust is fractured into tectonic plates that have been moving very slowly over the Earth's surface for millions of years. It’s actually made up of giant puzzle pieces called tectonic plates. The lithosphere isn’t a continuous piece that wraps around the whole Earth like an eggshell. The solid crust and top, stiff layer of the mantle make up a region called the lithosphere. Earthquakes are caused by shifts in the outer layers of Earth-a region called the lithosphere. The Earth is made of four basic layers: a solid crust, a hot, nearly solid mantle, a liquid outer core and a solid inner core.Ī diagram of Earth's layers. ![]() The shaking is caused by movements in Earth’s outermost layer.Īlthough the Earth looks like a pretty solid place from the surface, it’s actually extremely active just below the surface. ![]() An earthquake is an intense shaking of Earth’s surface. ![]()
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