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An earthquake is the sudden, and often violent, trembling part of the earth's surface. They occur around the plates. Pressure buildups beneath the surface due to continental movements at plate boundaries. Rocks are able to withstand this strain for many years but will snap or rupture at their weakest point eventually. This causes huge amounts of shock waves to radiate outwards. Shock waves, or seismic waves, begin at the earthquake's focus, while the surface directly above it is the epicenter. Back (Earthquakes main page) | Next (Types of plate boundaries) |