Science Common Sense

252 - Why do some places have more earthquakes than others?

Imagine the Earth's surface is made of big puzzle pieces called tectonic plates. These plates are always moving, but sometimes they get stuck. When they do, they start to build up a lot of pressure. Eventually, the pressure gets too strong, and the plates will suddenly move, creating an earthquake.

Some places have more earthquakes than others because they are located near the edges of these puzzle pieces, where they meet and move against each other. This is called a fault line. Places near fault lines, like California or Japan, experience more earthquakes because the plates are more likely to get stuck and then suddenly move, causing an earthquake.