and some extra information about volcanoes
Chosen Answer:
Formation of volcanoes and earthquakes are both caused by plate tectonics, a volcano occurs due to the magma (formed from the subducting slab or asthenosphere rise) building up in the magma chamber. This creates a pressure in the magma chamber to allow the magma to push its way up to the surface and fracture the overlying rock. Once the fractures are created the gases escape and the magma blasts an opening in the earths surface (think of it like opening a shaken can of coke).
Earthquakes on the other hand are causes by continental plates pushing or pulling apart from one another, just like the volcano once a certain pressure is reached (beyond the rocks elastic limit) the earth surface fractures causing a earthquake. I would also like to add that volcanoes and earthquakes arent always related to plate tectonics, volcanoes can get its magma from a hotspot rising up from the lower mantle and an earthquake can occur from the reactivation of a pre existing faults.
by: Clino Pyroxene
on: 29th January 11
