Tectonic Plates & Pacific Ring of Fire

Flashcards covering tectonic plate facts, Pacific Ring of Fire features, key Philippine geologic events, and general geoscience concepts discussed in the lecture.

What is considered the safest province in the Philippines because of its very low geologic disaster risk?

Palawan

What natural phenomenon is a common precursor to many other natural disasters?

Earthquake

How are earthquake epicenters, active volcanoes, and moving plates distributed in the Pacific Ring of Fire?

They are strategically plotted in clusters.

Which ocean is encircled by the so-called “Ring of Fire”?

The Pacific Ocean

Which famous Philippine volcano drew global attention after its violent 1991 eruption?

Mount Pinatubo

In which Philippine province should people avoid building high-rise houses due to volcanic risk?

Camiguin

What do you call a chain of mountains?

A mountain range

Where are most volcanoes situated—under continental crust or oceanic crust?

Under the oceanic crust

Which continent listed has virtually no active volcano or major earthquake activity?

Australia

Approximately how many volcanoes lie along the Pacific Ring of Fire?

More than 540

Which type of seismic wave usually causes the most damage to buildings and structures?

Surface waves

On what date did the magnitude-7.8 earthquake strike Luzon?

June 18, 1990

What is the largest tectonic plate, and what is its approximate area?

The Pacific Plate, ~102,900,000 km²

Name the continents/oceans located on the North American Plate.

United States, Canada, Arctic Ocean, and part of the Atlantic Ocean

Which plate carries Europe, Russia, and much of Asia, and what is its size?

The Eurasian Plate, ~67,800,000 km²

Which tectonic plate includes Africa and part of the Atlantic Ocean, and what is its approximate area?

The African Plate, ~61,300,000 km²

What plate underlies Antarctica and what is its area?

The Antarctic Plate, ~60,900,000 km²

Which plate holds Australia, India, Oceania, and the Indian Ocean, and how large is it?

The Indo-Australian Plate, ~58,900,000 km²

Which plate comprises South America and part of the Atlantic Ocean, and what is its size?

The South American Plate, ~43,600,000 km²