Why do some locations such as Califonia and Japan receive so many earthquakes?

Answer 1

The ground that we stand on is not completely solid. Panagia, or tectonic plates are underneath the ground, many miles, but they are there. Japan and California lie on two fault lines, which are the breaks between two tectonic plates. For example in California, the San Andreas Fault. It runs through several miles of states. The same in Japan, as it lies very close to a fault line. The only simple explanation is that those fault lines are very large, and the plates are also very large, so when they begin to move together, the shock waves are felt from miles away.

Its a very interesting science, but that is the simple explanation.

Answer 2

The ground that we stand on is not completely solid. Panagia, or tectonic plates are underneath the ground, many miles, but they are there. Japan and California lie on two fault lines, which are the breaks between two tectonic plates. For example in California, the San Andreas Fault. It runs through several miles of states. The same in Japan, as it lies very close to a fault line. The only simple explanation is that those fault lines are very large, and the plates are also very large, so when they begin to move together, the shock waves are felt from miles away.

Answer 3

This has to do with the tetonic plates which all land/sea masses are on. As you are probably aware, the earth is made up of many layers (ie the crust - where we live, magma lava - lies directly under the crust and is constantly moving, and the core - generates gravity). For the crust, imagine a plate that you have dropped - there are many piece that still fit together to form the plate, but nothing holds them together but they still fit. These "pieces" are contantly moving due to the magma underneath it, but very slowly - we can't feel it. What happens during an earthquake is when one of these "piece" or science terms "tectonic plates or plate" moves to either over lap a plate in front of them causing major impacts. some of these plates "squish" together to form mountains like the alps, so drift apart and then reform, letting in lava like volcanoes, others just shift, causing earthquakes Places like Califirnia and Japan suffer from earthquakes frequently because they reside on the border of two tectonic plates.

Answer 4

The reason those two areas see so many earthquakes is because they are on top of very active fault lines. Beneath the earth's crust are tectonic plates that sometimes shift and move, and when they bump into one another it causes an earthquake. Fault lines are areas where two tectonic plates meet, so earthquakes are likely to occur there.

Answer 5

They are on "fault lines", lines that make up the edges of techtonic plates in the earth's insides. When the techtonic plates shift, they cause a disturbance on the crust, therefore an earthquake.

Answer 6

It is just a fact that some places are more likely to have earthquakes then other places. One may also answer that this is the way God created the world, according to the nature (peace loving or war mongering) of the inhabitants of each place.

Answer 7

They are located on the so-called 'ring of fire', around the Pacific rim....conforming to the division between the tectonic plates as referred to in the above answers.

Answer 8

Because they are located on the unstable zones of the earth, one of which is called the Pacific Ring of Fire. You can check it out in wikipedia.

Answer 9

Elvis is alive underneath the Pacific and everytime he moves - Earthquake!

Answer 10

well, this is becuase they in regions of highly mobile teutenic planes.