Final answer:
Earthquake stress triggering relates to stress build-up and release along tectonic plates causing quakes, with large events potentially triggering additional ones. Undersea quakes can lead to tsunamis, and resonance can cause structural damage to buildings matching the quake's frequency.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of earthquake stress triggering relates to the buildup of stresses within the Earth's crust due to the constant motion of tectonic plates. Over time, this stress accumulates until it is released through the sudden slippage along a fault, causing an earthquake. The release of energy can be quite significant, especially if a long period has passed since the last seismic event. This is because the amount of stress and thus the potential energy increases over time as plates continue to move. After a large earthquake, the redistribution of stress in the Earth's crust can increase the likelihood of subsequent earthquakes, sometimes in areas quite distant from the original event.
Furthermore, when an earthquake occurs, it can lead to other geophysical phenomena. For instance, undersea earthquakes have the potential to trigger destructive tsunamis, which bring havoc to coastal areas. Additionally, the concept of resonance comes into play when considering the impact on man-made structures. Buildings can resonate with the earthquake's waves if these waves match the building's natural frequency of vibration, leading to possible structural failures. This effect can sometimes cause more distant buildings to suffer more damage than those closer to the epicenter due to constructive interference of the seismic waves.