Chapter 10: Problem 13

Is seismic risk greater in a town on the west coast of South America or in one on the east coast? Explain your answer.

Short Answer

Expert verified

A town on the west coast of South America faces a greater seismic risk due to the convergent boundary between the South American Plate and the Nazca Plate, where the oceanic Nazca Plate is subducting beneath the continental South American Plate. This subduction zone and the resulting volcanic mountain range, the Andes, generate significant stress on the crust, leading to more frequent and stronger earthquakes. In contrast, the east coast of South America has a divergent boundary between the South American Plate, South Atlantic, and African plates, which creates mid-ocean ridges and has relatively lower seismic activity.

Step by step solution

Determine the tectonic plate boundaries of South America

South America is located on the South American Plate. To the west, this plate is bordered by the Nazca Plate, and to the east, it is bordered by the South Atlantic and African plates. In order to understand the seismic risk, we need to identify the type of plate boundaries along both the west and east coasts.

Identify the type of plate boundaries along the west and east coasts

Along the west coast of South America, the boundary between the South American Plate and Nazca Plate is a convergent boundary where the oceanic Nazca Plate is subducting beneath the continental South American Plate. This type of plate interaction results in the formation of a subduction zone and a volcanic mountain range called the Andes. On the east coast of South America, the boundary between the South American Plate, South Atlantic, and African plates is a divergent boundary, where the plates are moving away from each other. This type of plate interaction creates mid-ocean ridges and often has a relatively lower seismic activity than convergent boundaries.

Evaluate the seismic risk based on the type of plate boundaries

Since the convergent boundary along the west coast of South America results in the formation of a subduction zone and a volcanic mountain range, it is associated with a higher seismic risk. The movement of the tectonic plates and the subduction process generate significant stress on the crust, leading to more frequent and stronger earthquakes. On the other hand, the divergent boundary along the east coast of South America generates less seismic activity due to the plates moving away from each other. This leads to a lower seismic risk in the towns located on the east coast.

Conclude the answer

Based on the analysis of the tectonic plate boundaries in South America, a town on the west coast faces a greater seismic risk than one on the east coast. The convergent boundary between the South American Plate and the Nazca Plate creates a subduction zone that leads to more frequent and stronger earthquakes compared to the divergent boundary found along the east coast between the South American Plate, South Atlantic, and African plates.

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Is seismic risk greater in a town on the west coast of South America or in one on the east coast? Explain your answer.

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Determine the tectonic plate boundaries of South America

Identify the type of plate boundaries along the west and east coasts

Evaluate the seismic risk based on the type of plate boundaries

Conclude the answer

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