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Plate Tectonics and Earthquakes Lab
Activity 1. Plate boundaries,
earthquakes, volcanoes
The maps on the right illustrate the major features
on the ocean floor (the mid-ocean ridge and
trenches), and the global distributions of
earthquakes and volcanoes.
In the top figure on the right, the ocean “spreading
centers” (the mid-ocean ridge) are indicated with
solid bold lines while the trenches are represented
by bold triangles.
1. Are earthquakes common
near ocean “spreading centers”
(the mid-ocean ridge)? (Compare the top and
middle figures)
________________________ (Yes/No)
2. Are earthquakes common
near ocean trenches? (Compare the top and
middle figures)
________________________(Yes/No)
3. Are active volcanoes common
near ocean trenches? (Compare the top and
bottom figures)
________________________(Yes/No)
4. What do we call the chain of volcanic mountains
and islands around the edge of Pacific Ocean? (See
the bottom figure)
________________________
a. The Himalayas b. The Ring of Fire
c. East Pacific Rise d. Hot spot
