Plate margins and plate tectonics - AQAGlobal distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions affect people all over the world. They are caused by the movement of tectonic plates. Tectonic hazards can destroy buildings, infrastructure and cause deaths.
The earth's surface is made up of two types of crust:
oceanic crustThe surface of the Earth's crust found underneath the oceans, forming the ocean floor. - found underneath the oceans. It is denser than continental crust and can be subducted.
continental crustThe surface of the Earth's crust found underneath large land masses. - found under land masses or continents. It is generally older than oceanic crust and is less often destroyed.
Earthquakes are found along all types of plate marginThe region where two or more tectonic plates meet. It is a zone of intense seismic activity. as shown on this map. Volcanoes however, only occur at constructive and destructive plate margins.
Hawaii is an arc of volcanic islands, found above a hot spot.