Why do we have earthquakes? and why dont we have them in Florida?

Question

Please try and be specific, the most helpful answer gets the points..thanks u

Answer 1

An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of stored energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. Earthquakes are accordingly measured with a seismometer, commonly known as a seismograph. The magnitude of an earthquake is conventionally reported using the Richter scale or a related Moment scale (with magnitude 3 or lower earthquakes being hard to notice and magnitude 7 causing serious damage over large areas).

At the Earth's surface, earthquakes may manifest themselves by a shaking or displacement of the ground. Sometimes, they cause tsunamis, which may lead to loss of life and destruction of property. An earthquake is caused by tectonic plates getting stuck and putting a strain on the ground. The strain becomes so great that rocks give way by breaking and sliding along fault planes.

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. In its most generic sense, the word earthquake is used to describe any seismic event—whether a natural phenomenon or an event caused by humans—that generates seismic waves.

An earthquake's point of initial ground rupture is called its focus or hypocenter. The term epicenter means the point at ground level directly above this.

Answer 2

Epicenters of earthquakes typically occur near fault lines, or the point on the surface of the earth where two tectonic plates meet. Over time, the tectonic plates move very slowly but occasionally there is a sudden shift when pressure that has built up on a fault line between two plates is suddenly released. The end result is an earthquake. Earthquakes are common on the west coast due to the San Andreas Fault, however there is not a major fault line in the southeast, therefore earthquakes don't occur as often and if they do, they are of lesser magnitude.

Answer 3

The number of earthquakes in Florida is far lower than places like California because of what is happening in the surface of the earth in the two areas. While it is true that every state has had earthquakes, with one of the big ones in the 19th century on the Mississippi and and another at Charleston, the Applelachian Mountains are old and most of the movements of plates in the area are small while those that produce earthquakes most often are far away away - the West Coast has an active subduction zone where the Pacific plate is diving under California, Mexico, etc. and producing activity there
NOAA's large event database shows none for Florida, but here is a different way of looking at it
http://www.noaawatch.gov/themes/quake.php

Answer 4

Please read the method of predicting the earthquakes.But it is not 100 % foolproof.You may under stand. It is because of relese of accumulated energy at tectonic plate boundaries.
Methods for prediction of earthquakes & Tsunami
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1. Seismic gape: - The earthquake at a particular place may occur for every fixed gape of time. By knowing the past records of the quakes affected at that place may help to decide when the earthquake is next due.

2. Planet position.: - When the stress is accumulated at the tectonic plate boundary and the same time if the position of more than 2 planets comes in a straight line this may help to accelerate the earthquakes. There fore the full moon days and new moon days are more vulnerable days for earthquakes. Some time this method fails why? Think of a sick patient. New moon and full moon days are dangerous for only sick patents. These days will not affect the healthy people. The same way if there is no accumulated stress at the tectonic plate boundaries no need to worry about the planet positions.

3. Sun rays falling method: - If you observe the position of the sun rays falling on our wall at a particular time on all days it should form an angular infinity symbol. If there is any deviation in its path it means that there is some difference in height of the earth. That means some strain noticed at that place. Somebody claims that they can predict the place of epicenter by observing this. The laser beam measuring method of earth height from satellite also will help.

4. MDCB:- Chinese scientist claims that they can predict up to 60 % accuracy by sensing electro magnetic rays.

5. Cloud forming: - Few hours to a few days before the occurrence of earthquakes a cloud reader claims that he has noticed a peculiar mosaic type of formation .We may also notice some lightening in the sky.

6. By sound :- A professor from Ajmeer University claims that he was able to hear a low frequency noise under 125 meter depth in a bore well. The same thing was reported by one Mr. Nair that he heard some roaring noise under the earth one week before the occurrence of earthquake in Gujarat.

7. By frequency of waves :- Mr Richter Allen of Berkley University claims that he can decide the magnitude of earthquake just 4 seconds after observing the frequency of the primary wave. Present method needs the full seismographic picture to find the real magnitude that too from as many places as possible to have fairly accurate results. His claim has got some truth because when there is a slip of bigger tectonic plate the frequency of quake will be less. If a small tectonic plate slips the frequency of the waves will be more.
8. There are several changes in nature and in the behaviors of animals and birds can be observed before an earthquake and Tsunami. I wrote several articles on these subjects. The water level in well may change. Stay away from beaches if you sense earthquake waves. The Tsunami may attack long after the shaking is stopped.






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Answer 5

Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but every state in America, everywhere in the oceans and every country in the world has recorded earthquake activity at some time or another. Florida included. Earthquakes are nothing more than the Earths crust settling. This takes millions if not billions of years.

Answer 6

plate tectonics! most of the time it is the convergent plate boundaries pushing against each other. earthquakes can occur anywhere but are more common closer to plate boundaries and/or the ring of fire!

Sorry Wally, but your comment - "Earthquakes are nothing more than the Earths crust settling. This takes millions if not billions of years" - is just completely incorrect! You need to think of the plates (of which only a small proportion is the earth's crust, the rest is called the lithosphere) as if they are pieces of a jigsaw puzzle floating on top of circular body of water (which is actally hot lava), and the plates move around because the water currents (convection in the underlying mantle) are moving around underneath the pieces of jigsaw. As a result of all this moving around of the plates going on, we humans experience earthquakes up top.