Earthquakes and Tsunamis

What causes earthquakes?

Earthquakes are caused by moving plates colliding and volcanic activity.

What happens when two converging plates collide?

They stop, putting enormous pressure on each other until one plate moves up and the other down, resulting in a reverse fault and an earthquake.

What characterizes transform earthquakes?

Transform earthquakes occur at strike-slip faults where two plates slide past each other and build up pressure until they move violently.

Why are converging earthquakes generally more violent?

Because a larger amount of pressure builds up when plates are moving towards each other compared to when they are moving apart.

What causes tsunamis?

Tsunamis are caused by underwater activity such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions that create large movements in water.

What is a reverse fault?

A point where one plate moves up and the other down due to enormous pressure from converging plates.