GEOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Earthquakes & Earth’s Interior. Earthquakes occur when energy stored in elastically strained rocks is suddenly released. This release of energy causes intense ground shaking in the area near the source of the earthquake and sends waves of elastic energy, called seismic waves, throughout the Earth.

Detailed explanation-2: -The Earth’s interior is composed of four layers, three solid and one liquid-not magma but molten metal, nearly as hot as the surface of the sun. The deepest layer is a solid iron ball, about 1, 500 miles (2, 400 kilometers) in diameter. Although this inner core is white hot, the pressure is so high the iron cannot melt.

Detailed explanation-3: -Earthquakes create seismic waves that travel through the Earth. By analyzing these seismic waves, seismologists can explore the Earth’s deep interior.

Detailed explanation-4: -The focus is the place inside Earth’s crust where an earthquake originates. The point on the Earth’s surface directly above the focus is the epicenter. When energy is released at the focus, seismic waves travel outward from that point in all directions.