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An earthquake is a shaking of the ground caused by the sudden breaking and shifting of large sections of the earth's plates. When the pressure under rocks builds up and suddenly ruptures, vibrations are formed in the crust, forming earthquakes.

The source of the earthquake is called the focus. Often , the focus lies less then 70 kilometres beneath the surface. However, they can go as far below as 700 kilometres. The nearer the focus is to the surface, the more devastating the earthquakes are.

The point on the earth's surface directly above the focus is called the epicentre. It is the first area to be affected by earthquakes and usually suffers the most damages.

The vibrations are usually sent out in seismic waves, which can be detected and recorded by a seismograph.

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