Earthquakes have several natural causes. Plate tectonics cause earthquakes when rock bodies slide past each other along fault planes. Volcanic activity can cause earthquakes by fracturing the rock surrounding a magma chamber. Isostatic adjustments can also cause earthquakes when rock bodies slide past each other vertically. Finally, the motion of large landslides can cause small earthquakes. Identify which of these causes involve the release of elastic energy and which do not. Recall that elastic strain is the result of a deforming force that distorts a body’s shape and size. When the deforming force is removed, elastic energy is released.

Earthquakes are triggered by the rapid energy release in some of the Earth's small rocks. Energy can be released by elastic stress, gravity, chemical reactions, or even massive body motion.

The release of elastic strain is the most important cause of all these, because this form of energy is the only sort that can be stored in sufficient quantities on Earth to create major disruptions. This type of energy release related earthquakes is called tectonic earthquakes.