What Causes Earthquakes? Explanation for Kids

Earthquakes can feel scary, but they’re a natural part of how our planet works. Let’s learn what causes them, how they happen, and if a 10.0 earthquake is even possible!

What is the main cause of an earthquake?

Most earthquakes happen because the ground beneath us is always moving—even though we can’t feel it. Deep under the surface, big pieces of Earth’s crust called tectonic plates are slowly sliding, bumping, and grinding against each other.

Sometimes these plates get stuck. When they finally break free, they release a sudden burst of energy, and that’s what we feel as an earthquake!

What are tectonic plates?

Think of Earth’s surface like a giant jigsaw puzzle made of huge rocky pieces. These pieces are called tectonic plates, and they float on soft, hot rock deep inside the Earth. There are about seven major plates and many smaller ones.

The plates move very slowly—only about as fast as your fingernails grow! But even that small movement builds up pressure over time. When the pressure gets too strong… boom! An earthquake can happen.

Has there ever been a 10.0 earthquake?

Nope! There has never been a 10.0 earthquake—at least not one that scientists have recorded.

The strongest earthquake ever measured was a 9.5 in Chile in 1960. That’s incredibly powerful! Experts think a 10.0 earthquake would need to come from a giant break in Earth’s crust, much bigger than anything we’ve ever seen.

So while a 10.0 quake is possible in theory, it’s very, very unlikely.

How do most earthquakes occur?

Most earthquakes happen at the edges of tectonic plates, where the plates are crashing into each other, pulling apart, or sliding side-by-side. These edges are called fault lines.

Here’s how earthquakes usually happen:

1. The plates move slowly but get stuck.

2. Pressure builds up over time.

3. When the pressure becomes too much, the rocks snap and move suddenly.

4. That sudden movement causes the shaking we feel—an earthquake!

Which country has the most earthquakes?

The country that experiences the most earthquakes in total is Indonesia.

Indonesia sits on a very active part of the Earth’s crust called the Ring of Fire, where several tectonic plates meet and push against each other. This makes the region especially prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey and earthquake tracking websites, Indonesia has more significant earthquakes each year than any other country. In one recent year, Indonesia had over 700 earthquakes that were magnitude 4.0 or higher!

Japan is also very active and experiences many powerful earthquakes, but Indonesia usually has the highest total number because of its larger land area and its position right on multiple major fault lines.

Earthquake Fun Fact

Did you know Earth has over 500,000 earthquakes each year? Most are too small to feel—but scientists track them all with special tools called seismographs!