Which land features are most likely found near a convergent plate boundary?
rift valleys and ridges
faults and ocean basins
volcanoes and mountains
hot springs and geysers
The correct answer is volcanoes and mountains.
Volcanoes and mountains are most likely found near a convergent plate boundary.
The correct answer is "volcanoes and mountains."
To understand why volcanoes and mountains are most likely found near a convergent plate boundary, let's first understand what a convergent plate boundary is.
A convergent plate boundary is a location where two tectonic plates are moving towards each other. When these plates collide, three scenarios can occur: subduction, mountain formation, or continental collision.
1. Subduction: In subduction zones, where one plate is forced beneath another, volcanoes are formed. The subducting plate sinks into the Earth's mantle, which creates intense heat and pressure. This leads to the melting of the subducting plate, releasing magma that rises through the Earth's crust, resulting in the formation of volcanoes. Examples of subduction zones include the Pacific Ring of Fire, where the Pacific Plate is subducting beneath various other plates.
2. Mountain formation: Convergent boundaries can also result in the formation of mountains. When two plates collide with each other, they can create immense pressures, causing rocks at the boundary to buckle and fold, leading to the uplift of land. These uplifted rocks form mountains. The collision of the Indian and Eurasian plates, for example, has given rise to the Himalayas, the tallest mountain range in the world.
3. Continental collision: In some cases, when two continents collide, neither sinks into the mantle due to their similar buoyancy. Instead, they crumple and fold, creating massive mountain ranges like the Alps or the Appalachian Mountains.
To summarize, convergent plate boundaries often give rise to volcanic activity and the formation of mountains. Other landforms mentioned in the answer options, such as rift valleys and ridges, faults and ocean basins, and hot springs and geysers, are typically associated with other types of plate boundaries, such as divergent plate boundaries (rift valleys and ridges, faults and ocean basins) or hotspots (hot springs and geysers).