Fascinating Fact:
Many volcanoes at plate edges also produce secondary hazards, including lahars, ash fall, and pyroclastic flows that threaten nearby communities.
In GCSE Geography, you study how volcanoes often form at the edges of tectonic plates, such as destructive and constructive margins. The quiz explores magma movement, different eruption styles, and how secondary hazards like ash clouds, lahars, and pyroclastic flows affect people, infrastructure, and the environment.
Key Terms
- Tectonic plate: A large slab of the Earth’s crust that slowly moves on the semi-molten mantle beneath.
- Subduction zone: A plate boundary where an oceanic plate sinks beneath another plate and melts, often creating volcanoes.
- Pyroclastic flow: A fast-moving, extremely hot mixture of gas, ash, and rock that flows down the sides of a volcano.
Frequently Asked Questions (Click to see answers)
Why do so many volcanoes form at tectonic plate boundaries?
Many volcanoes form at tectonic plate boundaries because plates move apart or one plate is forced under another, allowing magma to rise to the surface and create eruptions.
What is the difference between constructive and destructive plate margins?
At constructive margins plates move apart and magma rises to form new crust, while at destructive margins an oceanic plate sinks beneath another plate, melts, and can feed explosive volcanoes.
What secondary hazards can volcanic eruptions cause?
Volcanic eruptions can trigger ash clouds that disrupt travel, mudflows when ash mixes with water, landslides on steep slopes, and dangerous gases that threaten nearby people and ecosystems.
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