Question

What do earthquakes, volcanoes, and the formation of mountain ranges have in common?

A. They are all the result of continental drift and are common near the boundaries of the crustal plates.
B. They only occur on islands.
C. They are all disasters that permanently eliminate life and its diversity.
D. They are all the result of continental drift and are common near the centers of the crustal plates.

Answer 1

Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the formation of mountain ranges are primarily caused by the movement and D. interaction of Earth's crustal plates, particularly at their boundaries.

Step-by-step explanation:

Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the formation of mountain ranges all share a common origin - they are results of the dynamic nature of the Earth's crust, influenced by plate tectonics.

These geological phenomena often occur near the boundaries of tectonic plates where they either converge, diverge, or slide past one another.

The creation of the Hawaiian island chain is an exception to the typical plate boundary-related activity. It is formed from a hotspot in the Earth's mantle, where lava rises to form islands in the middle of the Pacific Plate rather than at the plate's edge.

However, in most cases, mountain ranges like the Alps are formed by the collision of continental plates, such as the African plate and the Eurasian plate.

Plate boundaries are also associated with earthquakes and volcanic activity. Divergent boundaries may cause shallow earthquakes and minor volcanism, while convergent boundaries, where one plate subducts under another, can result in deep earthquakes and significant volcanic activity.

Along transform boundaries, we typically see shallow earthquakes and an absence of volcanoes.