Final answer:
The Ring of Fire and the San Andreas Fault are examples of how plate boundaries cause geological structures and events such as earthquakes and volcanic activity due to subduction, lateral sliding, and collision of tectonic plates.
Step-by-step explanation:
The types of plate boundaries or stresses that would cause structures such as mountain ranges or volcanic arcs are indicative of the complex interactions between Earth's tectonic plates. For example, the Ring of Fire is a result of subduction zones where the Pacific Plate meets surrounding plates, leading to high seismic and volcanic activity. Similarly, the Basin and Range Province has a unique geologic structure due to the stretching and thinning of the Earth's crust, which is also related to tectonic activity.
Specific regions like the San Andreas Fault in California are characterized by transform boundaries where plates slide past each other laterally. This lateral movement is responsible for earthquakes that occur when accumulated energy is released. In contrast, mountain-building events, such as the creation of the South Alps in New Zealand, can occur at convergent boundaries where two plates collide, one being forced over the other.