The distribution of mountain ranges is closely related to the distribution of earthquake epicenters and active volcanoes, primarily because all three are concentrated along tectonic plate boundaries. Mountain ranges often form in regions where tectonic plates collide or interact, such as convergent boundaries, leading to orogeny (mountain-building processes). Earthquakes commonly occur along these plate boundaries due to the movement and collision of plates, and volcanoes are frequently found in the same zones where magma rises through the crust, often associated with subduction zones or rift areas. Specifically:
- Mountain ranges are typically located near the edges of continents where tectonic plates meet, such as the Pacific Ring of Fire, which hosts many active volcanoes and earthquake epicenters along with major mountain belts like the Andes and the North American Cordillera
- Earthquake epicenters are concentrated in narrow belts along plate boundaries, coinciding with mountain ranges and volcanic activity zones
- Active volcanoes are mostly found along these tectonic boundaries, especially in subduction zones where one plate sinks beneath another, contributing to mountain formation and seismic activity
Thus, the distribution of mountain ranges, earthquake epicenters, and volcanoes is not random but is strongly linked to the dynamic processes of plate tectonics shaping the Earth's lithosphere
