how is the distribution of active volcanoes around the world related to plate tectonics
Answer (2)
The distribution of active volcanoes around the world is closely related to plate tectonics. Most volcanoes are found along plate boundaries, where tectonic plates either collide, separate, or slide past each other.Convergent Boundaries – When an oceanic plate sinks beneath a continental plate (subduction), magma is formed and rises, creating volcanic arcs (e.g., Philippines, Japan, Andes Mountains).Divergent Boundaries – When plates move apart, magma rises to fill the gap, forming mid-ocean ridges and volcanic islands (e.g., Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Iceland).Hotspots – Some volcanoes form in the middle of plates, where hot mantle plumes melt the crust (e.g., Hawaii).In short, active volcanoes are not randomly scattered, but are mainly located along tectonic plate boundaries, making them evidence of Earth’s dynamic processes.
Active volcanoes are mostly found along tectonic plate boundaries. At convergent boundaries, subduction causes magma to rise and form volcanoes, while at divergent boundaries, magma comes out as plates move apart. This shows that the distribution of volcanoes is directly related to plate tectonics.
