JIGSAW PIECES
Our Ear th’s outer layer is called the crust – much like
the hard bit around your slice of bread. You can also
think of this layer as a cracked shell surrounding an
egg. These sections of “shell” or crust, are called
tectonic plates, and they are the reason there is
so much geological activity in this area. These
massive slabs of the Ear th’s crust fit together like
a puzzle, but they also move! The joints between
these plates are called fault lines. For the most par t,
these plates move smoothly. But, much like bumper
cars, they will occasionally crash into one another.
When this happens, they can break or get jammed
together. Much like any car wreck or traf fic jam,
this causes stress. It is this pressure and stress
between the plates that causes ear thquakes
and volcanic activity.
POWER PLAYPOWER PLAY