Ring of Fire: What is it?
The ring of fire is located in the Pacific Ocean, and is where ocean plates meet continental plates, resulting in lots of seismic activity. There are 452 volcanoes that make up the ring of fire, and 90% of all earthquakes along the 25,000 miles of this active zone.
Three kinds of tectonic plate interactions:
Convergent boundaries:
This is when two plates, hit into each other, and most often create subduction zones. Subduction zones are when the heavier of the two plates that are running into each other is pushed below the lighter of the two plates.
Three kinds of tectonic plate interactions:
Convergent boundaries:
This is when two plates, hit into each other, and most often create subduction zones. Subduction zones are when the heavier of the two plates that are running into each other is pushed below the lighter of the two plates.
These areas of subduction zones create long strings of islands and continetal mountain ranges. An example of a mountain range created by a subduction zone are the Andes Mountians of South America.
Divergent Boundaries:
Divergent boundaries are when the two tectonic plates are pulling away from each other and expanding to create more sea floor.
This diagram shows the two plates that have moved away from each other, creating a rift valley, which is then filled by magma. The magma cools when it is exposed to the cool ocean water and then creates large, underwater ridges.
An example of this is the Pacific Coast Rise which is off of the coast of South America.
This photo shows the separation happening between the Pacific, Coco (West of Central America), Nazca (west of South America), and the Antarctic Plate.
Transform boundaries are the last kind of tectonic plate interactions, and are when two plates slide against each other horizontally. Where these two plates touch are called faults and can sometimes catch or become stuck. When enough pressure builds up between the two plates, they slip and this causes earthquakes. An example of this is the San Andreas fault.
Transform boundaries are the last kind of tectonic plate interactions, and are when two plates slide against each other horizontally. Where these two plates touch are called faults and can sometimes catch or become stuck. When enough pressure builds up between the two plates, they slip and this causes earthquakes. An example of this is the San Andreas fault.