What caused the earthquake?The Indian tectonic plate moving 45mm a year is pushing under the Eurasian plate, underneath the Himalayas (this is how the Himalayas formed).
The pressure that is released caused the earthquake. The Nepal earthquake was Convergent. Tectonic PlatesTectonic plates, also known as lithospheric plates are like slabs of rock. When two tectonic plates slide together, they stick. Then, pressure builds up and causes an earthquake. The tectonic plates are all different sizes. The thickness of the plates also varies greatly. The tectonic plates are constantly moving slowly.
The 3 Plate MovementsDivergent
A Divergent Plate movement is when pressure builds up in the centre of the earth. It can push two plates together and can spread apart. Convergent The Nepal Earthquake was Convergent. A Convergent Plate movement is when pressure can cause two plates to push together. The pushing may create mountains. (This is how the Himalayas were formed). Transform The plates slide past in different directions. They can also go the same way but at different speeds. A lot of pressure builds up when sliding past. When the pressure is released, an earthquake occurs. |