Correct answer: A. Stress accumulates due to plate interaction
Explanation: Earthquakes are common near plate boundaries because tectonic plates are constantly moving and interacting. At a boundary, plates may collide, pull apart, or slide past one another. Friction can prevent smooth movement, so stress and strain build up in the surrounding rocks. When the rocks suddenly break or slip, the stored energy is released as seismic waves, producing an earthquake. Therefore, option A correctly identifies stress accumulation caused by plate interaction.
Rainfall, sunlight, and the freshness of seawater do not explain the global pattern of earthquakes along plate boundaries. The important sequence is movement, resistance or friction, accumulation of stress, sudden release, and shaking. Earthquakes can also occur within plates, but their concentration along boundaries is generally linked to active tectonic movement. Thus, the answer is not simply “movement” but the build-up and release of stress produced as plates interact.