The "mantle," or layer of the earth under the crust, is composed of hot, molten rock. The temperature of the molten rock in the mantle is not consistent since it is less hot at the surface ("crust") and more hot towards the core as you move closer to the earth's center ("core").
The hotter molten rock near the core is "bigger"—less dense—than the colder rock near the crust because heat causes stuff to expand. As a result, the hotter (lighter) rock in the core tends to rise while the more dense (heavier) rock farther up tends to sink. As a result, the mantle's molten rock is in motion. It descends from the surface down into the middle, where it heats up, expands, rises back to the surface, then cools down and sinks once again. Convection currents are the patterns of molten rock movement in the mantle. The mantle's convection currents take the shape of circular patterns, causing sideways motion in addition to up and down motion.
The crust of the planet is divided into what are referred to as "plates" at its outermost point. These plates are floating on the mantle, but due to the mantle's sideways motion caused by convection currents, the plates floating on top also desire to move. This plate-moving force is also responsible for the formation of mountain ranges and earthquakes. One plate may be attempting to travel in a different direction from the other plate if there are limits between them. They might be advancing on one another, retreating from one another, or gliding past one another.
Mountain ranges are gradually formed when two plates move nearer one another. Oceans are low basins that are gradually formed as a result of two plates sliding apart from one another. Additionally, earthquake faults like the San Andreas fault in California are created when two plates jostle against one another.
An earthquake is a phenomena that causes the earth's surface to suddenly shift, either as a result of volcanic activity or the release of energy that has built up in a fault.
The definition makes it clear that the majority of earthquakes take place near plate borders, which are the intersections of two tectonic plates. Most earthquakes happen in a seismic zone called the Pacific Ring of Fire. As a result of the collision of two tectonic plates, the Ring of Fire is home to around 81 percent of the greatest earthquakes ever recorded. Additionally, here is where the majority of volcanic activity takes place. The epicenter is the point on the earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter, which is where the earthquake begins under the surface. Foreshocks can occur during an earthquake.
