Explain the reasons for occurrence of majority of volcanoes and earthquakes along Pacific ‘ring of fire’?
Pacific ring of fire is an almost circular arc region that spans for about 40,000 km along the coasts of New Zealand, Tonga, Indonesia, Philippines, Japan, western coast of North America and South America.
Characteristics of ring of fire
- Host of geological activities
About 75 per cent of the world’s volcanoes are located along the belt. More than 90% of world’s earthquakes take place here.
- Plate boundaries
The region is made up of several tectonic plates such as Pacific plate, Philippine Plate, Juan de Fuca plate, Cocos plate, Nazca plate, and North American plate.
- Occurrence of trenches
The trenches are most visible characteristic of Pacific ring of fire. They are formed due to the subduction process.
Reasons for occurrence of earthquakes and volcanoes
- Intersection of plates
A number of tectonic plates join with each other along the ring of fire. These plates converge from time to time, creating subduction zones.
- Subduction zone
During the process of subduction, rocks melt, become magma and move to Earth’s surface and cause volcanic activity.
Read More - https://www.thehindu.com/in-school/sh-science/ring-of-fire/article8556173.ece
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