How do plate tectonics cause earthquakes?

Causes. An earthquake is the shaking and vibration of the Earth's crust due to movement of the Earth's plates (plate tectonics). Earthquakes can happen along any type of plate boundary. Earthquakes occur when tension is released from inside the crust. read more

Plate Tectonics, the Cause of Earthquakes The plates consist of an outer layer of the Earth, the lithosphere, which is cool enough to behave as a more or less rigid shell. Occasionally the hot asthenosphere of the Earth finds a weak place in the lithosphere to rise buoyantly as a plume, or hotspot. read more

The movement of tectonic plates causes earthquakes when two plates that are in contact with each other move in opposite directions and release built-up stress. For example, one plate may move north, while the other may move south. read more

Apart from man made earthquakes, due to activities like nuclear experiments, collapse of any man made structure, earthquakes are intimately related to plate tectonics. Plate boundaries. Plates are present everywhere underlying the earth crust and being fragmented they are connected to each other along certain boundaries. read more