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It is roughly analogous to a gun being fired. In the few thousandths of a second that the hammer is falling, you are not aware of anything different. When the hammer strikes the base of the cartridge: BANG! Seismologists, with all their sophisticated equipment can sometimes predict a high likelihood of an imminent earthquake, but even they cannot pinpoint it.

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13y ago
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13y ago

The releases of energy in earthquakes are so sudden because it happens underground very quickly(by the tectonic plates) and travels quickly up to land.

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Q: Why do earthquakes occur so suddenly?
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Related questions

Do earthquakes occur fast?

Yes, earthquakes happen suddenly and unexpectedly. They can occur in a matter of seconds or minutes, making them very difficult to predict accurately.


What are earthquakes that occur on the botton of the ocean floor?

When earthquakes happen underwater, they can cause tsunamis. The water will suddenly rush back, and people will be able to the ocean/ water bed. Then the water will suddenly come rushing forward, destroying everything in its path.


Do geologic processes only occur gradually?

No, geologic processes can occur gradually or suddenly. For example, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions can happen suddenly, causing rapid changes to the Earth's surface. However, processes like erosion and mountain formation typically occur over long periods of time.


What biome do earthquakes occur in?

The lithosphere is where earthquakes occur.


Where do you find earthquakes?

Earthquakes occur along the boundaries of tectonic plates, where stress builds up and is released suddenly. This can happen on land or under the ocean. Areas like the Pacific Ring of Fire have a high frequency of earthquakes due to the movement of tectonic plates.


Why do earthquackes occur?

earthquakes occur when the tectonic plates (the really big split lands including Indo-Australian plate, North American plates...) suddenly make so much pressure together and one goes under the other and one goes on top.


What often occurs along faults or breaks in earths crust where movements occur?

Earthquakes often occur along faults or breaks in Earth's crust where movements occur. These movements happen when stress builds up along the fault and is released suddenly, causing the rocks to break and generate seismic waves. Earthquakes can range in intensity depending on the magnitude of the movement along the fault.


What plate boundary do earthquakes occur?

Earthquakes occur at all plate boundaries.


Can you explain why earthquakes don't happen everywhere on Earth?

Earthquakes occur along tectonic plate boundaries where stress builds up and is released suddenly. These boundaries create areas of intense geological activity that lead to seismic events. In regions away from plate boundaries, there is less stress build-up and therefore a lower likelihood of earthquakes occurring.


Do volcanoes occur in oceans and earthquakes occur on land?

Earthquakes and volcanoes both occur in land and ocean. =)


Do earthquakes occur as earth's plates collide?

Yes that is generally where most earthquakes occur


What type of earthquakes occur farther inland than other earthquakes?

Intraplate earthquakes occur farther inland than other earthquakes. These earthquakes occur within a tectonic plate, away from plate boundaries where most earthquakes typically occur. Intraplate earthquakes can be caused by ancient faults or stress within the plate itself.