Science Common Sense

3 - Why do earthquakes happen?

Earthquakes happen when big pieces of the Earth's surface, called 'plates', move and rub against each other. Sometimes, these plates get stuck, and when they finally move, they release a lot of energy in the form of vibrations, which is what we feel as an earthquake. It's like when you rub your hands together and create heat - it's kind of the same thing, but much bigger and stronger.