👉 The term "earthshaking" is used to describe a sudden and powerful shaking of an object, such as an earthquake. Earthquakes are caused by the movement of tectonic plates on the Earth's surface, causing pressure differences that can result in the release of seismic energy into the ground. The intensity and duration of an earthquake depend on factors such as its magnitude (how far down the plate it goes), its depth (how deep the fault is cut in the earth's crust), and