WATCH OUT! THE GROUND IS CRACKING!

OMG the ground is shaking! I wonder what's happening. I'm going to look it up.

5 MINUTES LATER:

Okay so here's what i figured out:
When the ground was shaking, I was experiancing an earthquake! An earthquake happens when two of two of Earth's tectonic plates rub past each other. This causes friction and results in the ground shaking. The cause of  plate techtonics moving are called convection currents. Convection currents are when steaming magma from the center of the Earth travels up to the surface to make a new crust. I know that sounds kind of cool, but it's not! REALLY! It is not fun. Look what happens to some cities and towns that live near the edge of plates:

I wouldn't want to be in those buildings in the event of an earthquake. The place where most earthquakes occur are in California! I wanted to live in Cali before I knew this. Now, not so much. Anyways, the reason there's so many earthquakes there is because California is on the edge of the Pacific plate and the N.A. plate. Imagine if you were some random surfer dude and suddenly the water started shaking violently. Scary right? I know.

I feel bad for the person that has to clean that up! Do you know how scientists predict and mesure earthquakes? They use a seismagraph. A seismagraph is an instrument that detects movements in the ground such as an earthquake. If your still confused, here's a picture:

Seismograph!

            Well I have to go! Bye!

           -Kate