Final answer:
Plate tectonics determine the formation of mountains, with divergent and convergent boundaries often creating volcanic or fault-block mountains, while folded mountains arise from rock compression and folding at convergent boundaries.
Step-by-step explanation:
Plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanic activity are intimately connected, as the geographic distribution of these natural phenomena often reveals the boundaries between major tectonic plates. Divergent plate boundaries are associated with shallow earthquakes and some volcanic activity, while convergent plate boundaries are characterized by a range of earthquake depths, including deep quakes, and often host volcanoes due to the subduction of denser oceanic plates. Transform boundaries typically result in shallow earthquakes without volcanism. When assessing the formation of mountains, types of plate boundaries give rise to distinct features; for instance, fault-block mountains and volcanic mountains can form at convergent and divergent boundaries and may present a steep, jagged appearance or a gently sloping, dome-shaped profile. Folded mountains, in contrast, are typically not characterized by volcanic activity but rather by the intense compression and folding of layers of rock at convergent boundaries.