Earthquakes are usually caused when underground rock suddenly breaks and there is rapid motion along a fault. This sudden release of energy causes the seismic waves that make the ground shake. ... Seismic waves are generated throughout the earthquake.

How are seismic waves related to earthquakes?

What are Seismic Waves? Seismic waves are caused by the sudden movement of materials within the Earth, such as slip along a fault during an earthquake. Volcanic eruptions, explosions, landslides, avalanches, and even rushing rivers can also cause seismic waves.

What waves cause earthquakes?

NARRATOR: Earthquakes generate two main types of seismic, or shock, waves: body waves and surface waves. Body waves travel through the interior of the earth. The fastest of these are primary, or "P," waves. These compressional waves move faster in dense rock and slower in fluids.