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what is an earthquake?

Any sudden disturbance below the earth’s surface may produce vibrations or tremors in the earth’s crust. These vibrations or shakings are known as earthquakes.

The enormous energy released by an earthquake travels through the ground in the form of waves. Some waves can make the ground ripple up and down, while others can shake it from side to side.

Each type of wave travels through the earth at a different speed. The waves generated by an earthquake are called seismic waves. These are recorded by an instrument called seismograph or seismometer. The characteristics of an earthquake waves can be recorded on the screen of a seismograph, and is called a seismogram.

The science that deals with the seismic waves is called seismology and earthquake scientists are called  seismologists.