An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of stored energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes may occur naturally or as a result of human activities. Smaller earthquakes can also be caused by volcanic activity, landslides, mine blasts, and nuclear experiments.
By measuring the length of the volcanic chain and the time interval between the formation of the oldest structure and the youngest structure, an average speed of plate movement can be calculated.
