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Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes: The Driving Forces Behind Seismic Activity
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Jun 4, 2025
Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes: The Driving Forces Behind Seismic Activity Explore the causes of earthquakes through plate tectonics. Learn about different plate boundaries, seismic wave types, and the impacts of these powerful geological events. Understand how Earth's dynamic nature shapes our world and the challenges we face. #platetectonics #earthquakes #seismicactivity See more: Why Do Tectonic Plates Move? Understanding the Power of Geological Processes https://youtu.be/Pq3MpNm9E00
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have you ever wondered why the ground
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beneath your feet isn't as stable as you
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might think what if I told you that at
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any moment the earth could shake rattle
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and potentially reshape entire
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landscapes in a matter of minutes plate
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tectonics and earthquakes earth's
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seismic forces plate tectonics is the
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scientific theory that explains how the
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earth's outer shell known as the
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lithosphere is divided into several
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large plates these plates float on the
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semifluid estanosphere beneath
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constantly in motion due to convection
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currents in the mantle as these plates
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move they interact with one another
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creating the conditions necessary for
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earthquakes to occur there are three
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main types of plate boundaries where
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earthquakes are most likely to happen
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convergent divergent and transform
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boundaries at convergent boundaries two
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plates move towards each other one plate
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typically slides beneath the other in a
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process called subduction creating deep
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ocean trenches and volcanic mountain
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ranges the intense pressure and friction
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at these boundaries can trigger some of
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the most powerful earthquakes on Earth
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divergent boundaries occur where plates
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move apart from each other as the plates
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separate magma rises from the mantle to
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fill the gap creating new crust while
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earthquakes at divergent boundaries are
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generally not as strong as those at
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convergent boundaries they can still be
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significant especially when they occur
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on land transform boundaries are where
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plates slide past each other
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horizontally the most famous example of
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this is the San Andreas fault in
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California earthquakes at transform
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boundaries occur when the friction
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between the plates becomes too great
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causing a sudden release of energy but
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how exactly do earthquakes form as
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tectonic plates move they build up
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enormous amounts of potential energy due
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to friction and the immense pressures
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involved when this energy is suddenly
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released it creates seismic waves that
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propagate through the Earth's crust
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causing the ground to shake these
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seismic waves come in different forms
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primary waves or P waves are
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compressional waves that move through
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the Earth like sound waves secondary
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waves or S waves shake the ground
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perpendicular to their direction of
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travel surface waves which include love
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waves and waves travel along the earth's
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surface and are often responsible for
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the most damage during an earthquake the
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impact of earthquakes can be devastating
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they can trigger landslides tsunamis and
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liquefaction of soil buildings and
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infrastructure can collapse leading to
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loss of life and significant economic
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damage understanding the science behind
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plate tectonics and earthquakes is
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crucial for developing better prediction
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methods and designing more resilient
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structures in essence earthquakes are a
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testament to the dynamic nature of our
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planet they remind us that the earth is
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not a static body but a complex system
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in constant flux by studying plate
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tectonics and seismic activity we gain
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valuable insights into the forces that
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shape our world and the challenges we
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face in coexisting with these powerful
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natural phenomena let's recap the key
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points about plate tectonics and
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earthquakes one the earth's lithosphere
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is divided into several large plates
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that float on the semifluid
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athenosphere two there are three main
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types of plate boundaries convergent
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divergent and transform three
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earthquakes occur when builtup energy is
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suddenly released at these boundaries
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creating seismic waves four
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understanding plate tectonics is crucial
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for predicting earthquakes and designing
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resilient structures by studying these
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phenomena we gain valuable insights into
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the dynamic nature of our planet and the
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challenges we face in coexisting with
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these powerful geological forces thank
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you for watching our exploration of
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plate tectonics and earthquakes we hope
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this video has deepened your
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understanding of Earth's dynamic nature
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and the powerful forces shaping our
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world
#Earth Sciences
#Geology