As a geophysicist with a focus on seismology, I can tell you that earthquakes are the result of sudden release of energy in the Earth's crust that creates seismic waves. There are indeed four main types of earthquakes, which are: 1. Tectonic Earthquakes: These are the most common type and occur when rock along a fault breaks due to the stress that has accumulated over time. This is the type of earthquake that can cause the most significant damage due to its power and the widespread nature of tectonic plate boundaries. 2. Volcanic Earthquakes: These are associated with the movement of magma beneath a volcano. They can be caused by the expansion of the volcano as it swells with magma, or by the collapse of a lava lake or other volcanic structure. 3. Collapse Earthquakes: These occur when large underground cavities collapse, which can be due to the removal of material from the cave or by the sudden release of built-up gases. 4. Induced Earthquakes: These are triggered by human activities such as mining, reservoir impoundment (filling large reservoirs behind dams), and even the injection of fluids into the ground as part of hydraulic fracturing or wastewater disposal from oil and gas operations. It's important to note that while volcanic, collapse, and induced earthquakes can be significant, they are generally less frequent and less powerful than tectonic earthquakes. read more >>

New Page 1. There are four different types of earthquakes: Tectonic, volcanic, collapse and explosion. A tectonic earthquake is one that occurs when the earth's crust breaks due to geological forces on rocks and adjoining plates that cause physical and chemical changes.read more >>