You wake in the darkness, unsure about what has disturbed you. Strangely the clock on your bedside table begins to rattle about, as if it has a will of its own. You become aware of a strange roaring sound outside, like a jet passing overhead. The rattling grows and strengthens. Suddenly, the earth moves, bucking like a wild animal. Your room heaves; glasses crash in the kitchen; paintings fall from the walls. What is it? …showed first 75 words of 339 total…

…showed last 75 words of 339 total…miles thick beneath the ocean. The plates move because of convection currents. Magma has currents like the ocean does, that move in a circular motion beneath the plates. When two plates are pushing against each other, they are building up tension on the fault. When the two plates finally slip, they release a great amount of energy in the form of shock waves. The vibrations make the ground move and shake, which is an earthquake.