The breakage of the Earth's crust is referred to as a fault, which can result in seismic activity such as earthquakes. Faults occur when the lithosphere, composed of the crust and uppermost mantle, experiences stresses that exceed the strength of its rocks.
The term for when the crust breaks is called a fault. In geology, a fault is a crack or break in the crust of a planet along which slippage or movement can take place, often accompanied by seismic activity. This forms part of the geological activity on Earth which involves the movement of tectonic plates. The crust can break during such events as earthquakes, when stress exceeds the strength of rocks composing the crust.
The Earth's crust varies in thickness and is part of the lithosphere, which also includes the uppermost mantle. When stresses act on the rigid and brittle lithosphere, it can lead to breaks or faults. Earthquakes are the result of such breaks and can occur due to both internal forces, like the movement of tectonic plates, and external forces, such as the impact of meteorites.