An earthquake (also known as a quake, tremor or temblor) is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that

creates seismic waves. The seismicity or seismic activity of an area refers to the frequency, type and size of earthquakes experienced over a period of time. Earthquakes are measured using observations from seismometers. The moment magnitude (or the partly obsolete Richter magnitude, numerically similar over the range of validity of the Richter scale) of an earthquake is conventionally reported, with magnitude 3 or lower earthquakes being mostly almost imperceptible and magnitude 7 and over potentially causing serious damage over large areas, depending on their depth. The largest earthquakes in historic times have been of magnitude slightly over 9, although there is no limit to the possible magnitude. The most recent large earthquake of magnitude 9.0 or larger was a 9.0 magnitude earthquake in Japan in 2011 (as of March 2011), and it was the largest Japanese earthquake since records began. Intensity of shaking is measured on the modified Mercalli scale. The shallower an earthquake, the more damage to structures it causes, all else being equal.[1] Earthquakes are shakes and jiggles in the huge pieces of the Earth that form the outside of the big ball of our planet. We and the dirt and trees and other living things live on top of these big pieces of our Earth. These pieces are called plates. They "float" around on the Earth's hot crust very very slowly, so slowly you can't see them move. But as they creep along, they bump into each other sometimes. They can even get in a "traffic jam" and push real hard against each other. When they bump and push together, the pressure builds up until something has to give and move from all the force. All at once when pieces find a way to get unjammed, the pressure that has made them squish together really tight lets go and a sudden jerk can happen as one plate gets on top of another or as they slide past each other. This jerking causes the scrunches and wrinkles of the plates that were jamming into each other to suddenly let go and "Boing!" Shakes and jiggles go rushing out of the tight spot as the plates move over or under or around each other. These jerks move in waves all across the huge plates to relieve the tension. These released forces are very powerful and they are what make the ground move, wiggle and vibrate so that we can feel it from very far away.

Earthquake Causes Tsunami

Energy accumulates in the overriding plate until it exceeds the frictional forces between the two stuck plates. When this happens, the overriding plate snaps back into an unrestrained position. This sudden motion is the cause of the tsunami - because it gives an enormous shove to the overlying water. At the same time, inland areas of the overriding plate are suddenly lowered.

The epicenter or epicentre (pronounced /psntr/) is the point on the Earth's surface that is directly above the hypocenter or focus, the point where an earthquake or underground explosion originates. The word derives from the New Latin noun epicentrum,[1] the latinisation of the ancient Greek adjective (epikentros), "occupying a cardinal point, situated on a centre",[2] from (epi) "on, upon, at"[3] and (kentron) "centre".[4] In the case of earthquakes, the epicenter is directly above the point where the fault begins to rupture, and in most cases, it is the area of greatest damage. However, in larger events, the

length of the fault rupture is much longer, and damage can be spread across the rupture zone. For example, in the magnitude 7.9, 2002 Denali earthquake in Alaska, the epicenter was at the western end of the rupture, but the greatest damage occurred about 330 km away at the eastern end of the rupture zone.[5] Volcanism is the phenomenon connected with volcanoes and volcanic activity. It brings magma from the mantle within a planet and rises to the surface as a volcanic eruption.[1] In some cases, rising magma can cool and solidify without reaching the surface of a planet. Instead, the cooled and solidified igneous mass freezes within the crust of a planet to form an igneous intrusion. Intrusions can be in the form of batholiths, dikes, sills and layered intrusions.
volcanoes : types of eruptions]

There are actually many different types of volcanic eruptions. Many people have tried to classify volcanoes into categories, but still it is hard to organize them all into groups. There are numerous classification systems, all of which you may come across when studying volcanoes. The earliest divisions were created by a volcanologist named G. Paulett Scrope, who made the following distinctions:

a) permanent - more quiet and regular eruptions (similar to Stromboli) b) moderate - violent and irregular c) paroxysmal - similar to paroxysmal but less violent

In the late nineteenth century, another system was introduced:

a) explosive - Explosive volcanoes erupt suddenly, with terrifying force. These form when magma has cooled to make a lava plug blocking a crater. The plug traps hot gas and magma under the ground, and the hot gas builds up until the pressure becomes too great. When this happens, hot gas and magma explodes out of the volcano in a shower of dust, ashes, cinders, and volcanic bombs. Volcanic bombs are large chunks of molten rock that fly high up into the air and then fall on the countryside around. Explosive volcanoes tend to produce steep cones of volcanic ash. b) intermediate - Intermediate volcanoes can sometimes erupt explosively and emit dark clouds of ash, but they also produce flowing lava. This type of volcano builds up cones made of alternating layers of ash and lava. Intermediate volcanoes have characteristics of both explosive and quiet eruptions. c) quiet - Quiet volcanoes explode with much less suddenness, because lava does not cool and harden. The lava that creates a quiet volcano is still runny and flowing, and do not plug the craters and trap huge quantities of explosive gas. However, pockets of hot gas form that squirt fountains of lava into the air. Because lava flows away before hardening, broad sheets of lava and wide, gently sloping domes are formed around the volcano. When the lava has dried, it forms a rock known as basalt
Exogenic Forces

Endogenic Forces

Orginate in the interior of Originate in the atmosphere or on the the earth. surface of the earth. Causes sudden or slow movements Eg: Earthquke, Building Mountains Causes slow movements. Eg: Erosional and Depositional

Weathering is the breaking down of Earth's rocks, soils and minerals through direct contact with the planet's atmosphere. Weathering occurs in situ, or "with no movement", and thus should not be confused with erosion, which involves the movement of rocks and minerals by agents such as water, ice, wind, and gravity.

Two important classifications of weathering processes exist physical and chemical weathering. Mechanical or physical weathering involves the breakdown of rocks and soils through direct contact with atmospheric conditions, such as heat, water, ice and pressure. The second classification, chemical weathering, involves the direct effect of atmospheric chemicals or biologically produced chemicals (also known as biological weathering) in the breakdown of rocks, soils and minerals.[1] The materials left over after the rock breaks down combined with organic material creates soil. The mineral content of the soil is determined by the parent material, thus a soil derived from a single rock type can often be deficient in one or more minerals for good fertility, while a soil weathered from a mix of rock types (as in glacial, aeolian or alluvial sediments) often makes more fertile soil. Mineral materials used as building materials are subject to most of the same weathering processes as rocks and minerals in situ. Weathering is the breaking down of Earth's rocks, soils and minerals through direct contact with the planet's atmosphere. Weathering occurs in situ, or "with no movement", and thus should not be confused with erosion, which involves the movement of rocks and minerals by agents such as water, ice, wind, and gravity. Two important classifications of weathering processes exist physical and chemical weathering. Mechanical or physical weathering involves the breakdown of rocks and soils through direct contact with atmospheric conditions, such as heat, water, ice and pressure. The second classification, chemical weathering, involves the direct effect of atmospheric chemicals or biologically produced chemicals (also known as biological weathering) in the breakdown of rocks, soils and minerals.[1] The materials left over after the rock breaks down combined with organic material creates soil. The mineral content of the soil is determined by the parent material, thus a soil derived from a single rock type can often be deficient in one or more minerals for good fertility, while a soil weathered from a mix of rock types (as in glacial, aeolian or alluvial sediments) often makes more fertile soil. Mineral materials used as building materials are subject to most of the same weathering processes as rocks and minerals in situ. Diastrophism is a good term that refers to deformation of the Earth's crust, and more especially to folding and faulting. Diastrophism can be considered part of geotectonics. Diastrophism comes from the Greek word meaning a twisting.[1][2] All processes that move, elevate or build up portions of the earths crust come under diastrophism. They include: (i) orogenic processes involving mountain building through severe folding and affecting long and narrow belts of the earths crust; (ii) epeirogenic processes involving uplift or warping of large parts of the earths crust; (iii) earthquakes involving local relatively minor movements; (iv) plate tectonics involving horizontal movements of crustal plates. The term covers movement of solid (plastic) crust material, as opposed to movement of molten material which is covered by volcanism. Movement causes rock to be bent or broken.

The most obvious evidence of disastrophic movement can be seen where sedimentary rocks have been bent, broken or tilted. Such non-horizontal strata provide visual proof of movement. Diastrophic movement can be classified as two types, folding and faulting, tilted beds usually are part of a larger syncline or anticline. Diastrophic movement is often called orogenic as it is associated with mountain building