In 2005 and 2006, several major earthquakes occured in Pakistan and Iran, located to the north and west of India.
A) Why does the theory of plate tectonics support the occurence of earthquakes in these countries?
The plate tectonics theory states that the Earth's outer crust is composed of moving plates.
Earthquakes are created as product of continental drift.
Plate tectonics tells us that the lithosphere is broken into a variety of oceanic and continental plates which can slide over the plastic asthenonsphere, which is the uppermost layer of the mantle. The plates are in constant motion. Where they interact, along their margins, earthquakes occur.
The point is that there are two plates colliding in Pakistan/Iran. So, that is where the action is on shock waves.
Thank you very much:)
The theory of plate tectonics helps explain why earthquakes occur in countries like Pakistan and Iran. According to this theory, the Earth's outer crust is divided into several large moving plates. These plates float on the semi-fluid layer of the mantle beneath them.
The area where two plates meet is called a plate boundary. There are three main types of plate boundaries: divergent boundaries, convergent boundaries, and transform boundaries. Earthquakes typically occur at convergent and transform plate boundaries.
Convergent plate boundaries occur when two plates collide or move towards each other. In this case, earthquakes can occur as one plate bends and pushes beneath the other, in a process known as subduction. Pakistan and Iran are located in a region where the Arabian plate is colliding with and subducting beneath the Eurasian plate. This collision creates intense pressure and tension, leading to the occurrences of earthquakes in these countries.
Similarly, transform plate boundaries occur where two plates slide past each other horizontally. In these cases, earthquakes can occur as the plates become locked and then suddenly slide past each other, releasing the built-up stress. The Northern boundary of the Arabian plate connects with the Eurasian plate, creating a transform boundary known as the "right-lateral strike-slip boundary." This boundary is responsible for the occurrence of earthquakes in regions of Pakistan and Iran.
In summary, the theory of plate tectonics explains why earthquakes occur in countries like Pakistan and Iran. These countries are located in areas where the Earth's moving plates interact and generate seismic activity due to collisions and sliding along plate boundaries.