Background: Almost all earthquakes occur at plate boundaries. All types of plate boundaries have earthquakes. Convection within the Earth causes the plates to move. As the plates move, stresses build. When the stresses build too much, the rocks break. The break releases the energy that was stored in the rocks. The sudden release of energy creates an earthquake. During an earthquake the rocks usually move several centimeters or rarely as much as a few meters. Elastic rebound theory describes how earthquakes occur ( Figure below ).

Situation: Two brothers loved geology. Bob studied sedimentary rocks while Dan studied about earthquakes and their location.

Question: Which brother studied more about plate boundaries?
Answer: Dan

Situation: Two brothers loved geology. Bob studied sedimentary rocks while Dan studied about earthquakes and their location.

Question: Which brother studied less about plate boundaries?
Answer: Bob

Situation: Two brothers loved geology. Bob studied sedimentary rocks while Dan studied about earthquakes and their location.

Question: Which brother studied less about convection causing plates to move?
Answer: Bob

Situation: Two brothers loved geology. Bob studied sedimentary rocks while Dan studied about earthquakes and their location.

Question: Which brother studied more about convection causing plates to move?
Answer: Dan

Situation: Two brothers loved geology. Bob studied sedimentary rocks while Dan studied about earthquakes and their location.

Question: Which brother studied more about rocks breaking as a result of stress buildup?
Answer: Dan

Situation: Two brothers loved geology. Bob studied sedimentary rocks while Dan studied about earthquakes and their location.

Question: Which brother studied less about rocks breaking as a result of stress buildup?
Answer: Bob

Situation: Two brothers loved geology. Bob studied sedimentary rocks while Dan studied about earthquakes and their location.

Question: Which brother studied less about how rocks usually move several centimeters?
Answer: Bob

Situation: Two brothers loved geology. Bob studied sedimentary rocks while Dan studied about earthquakes and their location.

Question: Which brother studied more about how rocks usually move several centimeters?
Answer: Dan

Situation: Two brothers loved geology. Bob studied sedimentary rocks while Dan studied about earthquakes and their location.

Question: Which brother studied more about how rocks usually move a few meters?
Answer: Dan

Situation: Two brothers loved geology. Bob studied sedimentary rocks while Dan studied about earthquakes and their location.

Question: Which brother studied less about how rocks usually move a few meters?
Answer: Bob

Situation: Two sister cities were both situated on plate boundaries, close to volcanoes, on different continents. Red city was 10 miles from a volcano, while Tree city was 60 miles away. Red city experienced many earthquakes, Tree city few and far between.

Question: Which city experienced more convection within the Earth causing the plates to move?
Answer: Red

Situation: Two sister cities were both situated on plate boundaries, close to volcanoes, on different continents. Red city was 10 miles from a volcano, while Tree city was 60 miles away. Red city experienced many earthquakes, Tree city few and far between.

Question: Which city experienced less convection within the Earth causing the plates to move?
Answer: Tree

Situation: Two sister cities were both situated on plate boundaries, close to volcanoes, on different continents. Red city was 10 miles from a volcano, while Tree city was 60 miles away. Red city experienced many earthquakes, Tree city few and far between.

Question: Which city experienced less stress build up within the rocks?
Answer: Tree

Situation: Two sister cities were both situated on plate boundaries, close to volcanoes, on different continents. Red city was 10 miles from a volcano, while Tree city was 60 miles away. Red city experienced many earthquakes, Tree city few and far between.

Question: Which city experienced more stress build up within the rocks?
Answer: Red

Situation: Two sister cities were both situated on plate boundaries, close to volcanoes, on different continents. Red city was 10 miles from a volcano, while Tree city was 60 miles away. Red city experienced many earthquakes, Tree city few and far between.

Question: Which city experienced more rocks breaking?
Answer: Red

Situation: Two sister cities were both situated on plate boundaries, close to volcanoes, on different continents. Red city was 10 miles from a volcano, while Tree city was 60 miles away. Red city experienced many earthquakes, Tree city few and far between.

Question: Which city experienced fewer rocks breaking?
Answer: Tree

Situation: Two sister cities were both situated on plate boundaries, close to volcanoes, on different continents. Red city was 10 miles from a volcano, while Tree city was 60 miles away. Red city experienced many earthquakes, Tree city few and far between.

Question: Which city experienced the release of energy that was stored in the rocks more often?
Answer: Red

Situation: Two sister cities were both situated on plate boundaries, close to volcanoes, on different continents. Red city was 10 miles from a volcano, while Tree city was 60 miles away. Red city experienced many earthquakes, Tree city few and far between.

Question: Which city experienced the release of energy that was stored in the rocks less often?
Answer: Tree

Situation: Two sister cities were both situated on plate boundaries, close to volcanoes, on different continents. Red city was 10 miles from a volcano, while Tree city was 60 miles away. Red city experienced many earthquakes, Tree city few and far between.

Question: Which city experienced more sudden releases of energy?
Answer: Red

Situation: Two sister cities were both situated on plate boundaries, close to volcanoes, on different continents. Red city was 10 miles from a volcano, while Tree city was 60 miles away. Red city experienced many earthquakes, Tree city few and far between.

Question: Which city experienced fewer sudden releases of energy?
Answer: Tree

Situation: Two islands were located in the Pacific Ocean. Woo island was frequently shaken by earthquakes, but Mud island had no such problems.

Question: Which island was situated closer to plate boundaries?
Answer: Woo

Situation: Two islands were located in the Pacific Ocean. Woo island was frequently shaken by earthquakes, but Mud island had no such problems.

Question: Which island was situated farther from plate boundaries?
Answer: Mud

Situation: Two islands were located in the Pacific Ocean. Woo island was frequently shaken by earthquakes, but Mud island had no such problems.

Question: Which island experienced more plates moving because of convection within the earth?
Answer: Woo

Situation: Two islands were located in the Pacific Ocean. Woo island was frequently shaken by earthquakes, but Mud island had no such problems.

Question: Which island experienced fewer plates moving because of convection within the earth?
Answer: Mud

Situation: Two islands were located in the Pacific Ocean. Woo island was frequently shaken by earthquakes, but Mud island had no such problems.

Question: Which island experienced more stress building because of plates moving?
Answer: Woo

Situation: Two islands were located in the Pacific Ocean. Woo island was frequently shaken by earthquakes, but Mud island had no such problems.

Question: Which island experienced less stress building because of plates moving?
Answer: Mud

Situation: Two islands were located in the Pacific Ocean. Woo island was frequently shaken by earthquakes, but Mud island had no such problems.

Question: Which island experienced fewer rocks breaking because of stress?
Answer: Mud

Situation: Two islands were located in the Pacific Ocean. Woo island was frequently shaken by earthquakes, but Mud island had no such problems.

Question: Which island experienced more rocks breaking because of stress?
Answer: Woo

Situation: Two islands were located in the Pacific Ocean. Woo island was frequently shaken by earthquakes, but Mud island had no such problems.

Question: Which island experienced more rocks moving several centimeters?
Answer: Woo

Situation: Two islands were located in the Pacific Ocean. Woo island was frequently shaken by earthquakes, but Mud island had no such problems.

Question: Which island experienced fewer rocks moving several centimeters?
Answer: Mud