Question: Why do earthquakes produce seismic waves?

Why do earthquakes produce seismic waves?

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Earthquakes produce seismic waves due to the sudden release of energy stored within the Earths crust Heres a breakdown of the process Plate Movements and Stressed Rocks Earths crust is divided into tectonic plates that are constantly moving These movements can cause rocks along plate boundaries to become stressed and strained over time Sudden Rupture As stress builds up the rocks eventually reach a breaking point When this happens the rocks along a fault fracture zone suddenly slip past each other Energy Release This sudden movement is like a giant pop releasing the accumulated energy in a burst The energy radiates outward from the source of the earthquake hypocenter in the form of seismic waves Imagine dropping a pebble in a still pond The impact creates ripples that travel outward in all directions Similarly the rupturing rocks during an earthquake act like the pebble sending vibrations through the Earth ... View full answer

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