How are earthquakes caused at destructive plate boundaries?

Earthquakes are often caused at destructive plate boundaries, where two tectonic plates are moving towards each other. The process typically involves the following steps:

1. Converging plates: Two tectonic plates converge or collide at a destructive plate boundary, with one plate being forced beneath the other in a process called subduction.
2. Friction and stress: As the plates move against each other, friction and stress build up along the plate boundary, causing the rocks to deform and store elastic energy.
3. Release of energy: The built-up stress and energy are eventually released in the form of an earthquake, as the rocks suddenly break and shift along the fault line.
4. Seismic waves: The released energy generates seismic waves that travel through the Earth’s crust and are detected by seismometers.
5. Aftershocks: Following a major earthquake, smaller aftershocks may occur as the rocks continue to adjust and shift.

The magnitude and intensity of an earthquake depend on a variety of factors, including the size of the tectonic plates involved, the amount of friction and stress, and the depth of the earthquake. Destructive plate boundaries are among the most seismically active areas on Earth, and are responsible for some of the largest and most devastating earthquakes in history.