Environmental Studies and Ecology: What Makes the Earth Tremble? Essay by Top Papers

The following paper will look at what causes earthquakes to occur. To answer this question, the next several pages will look at the tectonic phenomena which lie at the root of seismic disturbances; in so doing, it will become clear that the brittle nature of the earth's crust is a hugely important consideration when it comes to explaining why earthquakes suddenly spring out of nowhere. Among the fascinating items which will be discussed are the different types of plate activities which trigger earthquakes and the process of subduction which is, at this very moment, setting the stage for the huge area just off from the west coast of the United States otherwise known as the Cascadia zone. The paper will then conclude by describing some interesting features of earthquakes in general - chiefly the actions of their 'waves' as the quake lives out its life - and end with a brief conclusion that shows appropriate reverence for the power of these deadly natural disasters.