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Most earthquakes occur along fault lines, caused by plate tectonics.
The idea behind plate tectonics is that there are plates at the surface of the Earth that are constantly moving, due to the flow of rock within the Earth. They are constantly moving up against each other - towards and apart, up and down, etc. Earthquakes are a direct result of this. When the shifting isn't smooth, an earthquake can happen. However, that is not the only effect of plate tectonics, though that is the only cause of earthquakes. Plate tectonics cause tsunamis, mountain forms, oceanic trenches, among other things.
So if you want to know where earthquakes occur, you should look at a map of the Earth's tectonic plates. Along the fault lines where the plates separate is where earthquakes most often occur. Although earthquakes do occur in some places more than others, these fault lines are where they would happen.
California. California has many cracks in the state and also its rocks shift many times often causing earthquakes.
(One primary cause of earthquakes in sudden shifting in subduction zones, which are areas where the tectonic plates push against each other.)
An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. So it stands to reason that they will occur where the tectonic platesare, though they are not limited to the plate boundaries. While most quakes are from side to side movement, where the plates get stuck and then suddenly unjam, the worst ones are when there a reverse fault occurs, particularly along convergent plate boundaries . A reverse fault is when the crust gets shortened because of a dip in one of the plates.
To see more about the causes and tectonic plates:
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/ASK/earthquakes.html
Map of Earth's tectonic plates:
http://www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/tectonic.htm
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Where do the majority of the earthquakes in the US occur?
The most earthquakes occur in Alaska, followed by California.
What 2 US states have the smallest number of earthquakes?
Florida and North Dakota have the fewest earthquakes in the US.
How many earthquakes occur in Utah each year?
more than a thousand each year
Do they have earthquakes in the US?
Yes.
Is California the only state in the US that experiences frequent or strong earthquakes?
No it is not. In fact these states are the ones that have the most and strongest earthquakes Texas, Nevada, Arizona, Washington, and California. The reason that you hear about California so much is because California it is right by the fault line. So the plates collide mostly on the border of the US, which is California.
Where else in the US do earthquakes occur?
the majority of earth quakes in the USA occur in California and in Alaska
Where is the majority of the earthquakes in the US?
The US Geological Survey (USGS) National Earthquake Information Center records statistics for earthquakes in the US and worldwide. Between 2000 and 2011 the average number of earthquakes in the US was 3,820 per year that are magnitude 2.5 or higher.The majority of those earthquakes in the US are in Alaska and California with Hawaii in third place.http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/states/top_states.php
Where do the majority of earthquakes in the US occur?
California. California has many cracks in the state and also its rocks shift many times often causing earthquakes.(One primary cause of earthquakes in sudden shifting in subduction zones, which are areas where the tectonic plates push against each other.)
Where do the majority of the earthquakes in the US occur?
The most earthquakes occur in Alaska, followed by California.
Where did the most widely-felt series of earthquakes in the US occur?
Missouri
Are there places in the US where earthquakes will probably not occur in the near future explain your answer?
Certain areas in the central and eastern United States, such as the Midwest and the East Coast, have lower seismic activity compared to the West Coast. These regions are located away from major tectonic plate boundaries where most earthquakes occur, making the likelihood of earthquakes less probable in the near future. However, no place is completely immune to seismic activity, as small earthquakes can still occur in unexpected areas.
Do thousands of earthquakes occur each year?
The US Geological Survey estimate that there are several million earthquakes each year, but the vast majority of these will not be detected because they are too small in magnitude to detect or are larger, but occur to far away from a seismometer station. From this number, they estimate that there are 500,000 detectable earthquakes in the world each year. 100,000 of these will be felt by humans and 100 of them will be large enough to cause damage.
What state do most earthquakes occur in?
Earthquakes can occur in any state, but California experiences the most earthquakes due to its location along the San Andreas Fault. Other states with a higher frequency of earthquakes include Alaska, Nevada, and Oklahoma.
How many earthquakes occur in the us ever year?
Between 3000-4000
Do earthquakes occur in the central portion of the US?
Yes, earthquakes do occur in the central portion of the US, although they are less frequent and less intense compared to regions like the west coast. The New Madrid Seismic Zone, located in the central US near the Mississippi River, is known for its historic earthquake activity.
Where are earthquakes likely to occur in US and why?
where cracks in the earth's plates connect. it is because the earth is constantly moving from the rotation of orbit causing plates to shift & make earthquakes
Can you predict the part of the US mostly to experience strong earthquakes?
Yes. Earthquakes occur most often along fault lines. There are also many different devices (seismograph) that sense seismic waves and can predict earthquakes.
