Tectonic Plates Quiz: 4/8/25

Ring of Fire

large area in basin of Pacific Ocean (PO) where many earthquakes, eruptions occur

Shield volcano

A type of volcano characterized by low viscosity lava that flows easily, creating wide, gently sloping sides.

How are shield volcanoes formed?

Shield volcanoes are formed by the eruption of low-viscosity basaltic lava that flows over great distances.

Strato volcano

A type of volcano characterized by a conical shape, formed by alternating layers of lava flow, ash, and other volcanic debris.

How are strato volcanoes formed?

Strato volcanoes are formed by the eruption of more viscous lava, which creates steep, conical shapes as layers build up.

Subduction zone

A location where one tectonic plate moves under another tectonic plate.

How does the subduction zone form trenches, volcanoes, islands, mountains?

Subduction zones lead to the formation of deep ocean trenches, as the oceanic plate sinks into the mantle, and can create volcanic arcs and mountain ranges.

Subducting plates

Tectonic plates that are being forced down into the mantle at a subduction zone.

Deep ocean trench

A deep, narrow depression in the ocean floor formed at a subduction zone.

Mount Rainier

An active stratovolcano located in Washington State, part of the Cascade Range.

Mount St. Helens

An active stratovolcano in Washington State known for its major eruption in 1980.

Andes Mountains

A major mountain range in South America, formed by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate.

What happens at the Andes Mountains?

The Andes Mountains experience tectonic activity including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to the ongoing subduction.

Caribbean

A region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea and its islands, and the surrounding coasts.

Caribbean Islands

Islands located in the Caribbean Sea, many of which are volcanic in origin.

Continental plate

A type of tectonic plate that is part of the continents.

Continental collision

A tectonic phenomenon that occurs when two continental plates collide, leading to the formation of mountains.

Fold Mountains

Mountains that are formed primarily by the effects of folding on layers within the upper part of the Earth's crust.

Himalayas

The mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau, formed by the collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates.

Converging Plates

Tectonic plates that move toward each other, often leading to subduction or mountain formation.

Volcanoes

A rupture in the Earth's crust where molten lava, ash, and gases from below the Earth's surface can escape into the air.

How do some of the mountains, like those in the US, form if there aren’t any plates that collide?

Some mountains in the US can form due to processes such as volcanic activity, erosion, and the uplift of the Earth's crust.