What causes earthquakes?(1 point)

Question

Responses

Blocks of crust slide against one another, often at plate boundaries.
Blocks of crust slide against one another, often at plate boundaries.

Pressure builds up in the molten rock beneath Earth's crust and causes it to shake.
Pressure builds up in the molten rock beneath Earth's crust and causes it to shake.

Tectonic plates break apart into smaller plates, and the crumbling causes shaking.
Tectonic plates break apart into smaller plates, and the crumbling causes shaking.

Sudden motions in Earth's mantle cause the crust to shift.

Answer 1

The primary cause of earthquakes is best described by the first response: Blocks of crust slide against one another, often at plate boundaries. This movement along fault lines can release accumulated stress and energy, resulting in seismic waves that we perceive as earthquakes.