How are Volcanic Eruptions Closely Related To Earthquakes?

Some people might say, It is obvious that volcanoes are related to earthquakes,
because volcanic eruptions are caused by earthquakes. Yes, one of the main reasons
of why volcanoes and earthquakes are related to each other is because volcanic
eruptions can be caused by earthquakes. Sometimes, it can be the opposite where
volcanic eruptions cause earthquakes. However, there are many more reasons how
they are related. The next two pages will explain to you about the many common and
major ways of how earthquakes and volcanoes are closely related.

As I said earlier, one of the main reasons volcanoes are related to an earthquakes, is
that an earthquake can cause a volcano. This can happen because when an
earthquake happens near a volcano, the vibration of the earthquake causes the volcano
to erupt. This can only happen if there is the right amount of magma inside the volcano.
If there was too little magma inside the volcano, it would not be a very powerful
eruption, or it might not even look like a volcanic eruption. If the magma is filled to the
top, it also cannot erupt, because it needs to have the right amount.

You can also think of it as a soda bottle. As you know, if you shake a soda bottle, he
inside shoots out. It is the same theory for volcanoes. If an earthquake occurs, then the
vibration of the earthquake causes the volcanic eruption. Again, volcanoes have to have
the right amount of magma inside, or else it will not cause a big or proper eruption.
Here is an explanation image:

Sometimes, it can be the opposite. A volcano can cause an earthquake. According to

the PNSN website, a volcanic tectonic earthquake is an earthquake that is caused
because of a volcano. Simply put, it is caused by a fault near a volcano. It can also be
caused by the change of pressure under a volcano when magma is removed or

injected. If magma is removed from the volcano system, there is an empty space
waiting to be filled by rocks, and when it fills up the gap, it can cause an earthquake.

The volcanic tectonic earthquake is not as powerful as an earthquake caused by plate

tectonics. The reason is that there is an aftershock of the earthquake caused by plate
tectonics, which usually results in the plate tectonics colliding against each other. On the
other hand, volcanic tectonic earthquakes do not have much of a big aftershock
compared to earthquakes.

A real example of a volcano caused by an earthquake is Mount Pinatubo's volcanic

eruption on June 15, 1991, occurred within a magnitude 7.8 earthquake that occurred
about 100 kilometers northeast of that volcano. Mount Pinatubo is a volcano that is
located on the island of Luzon in the Philippines. The volcanic eruption was also known
as one of the most destructive volcanoes in the 20th century. It was also dormant for
500 years, and erupted in June 1991.

Also, another great example of a volcanic earthquake is the Hakone mountain. It is a

very common mountain and is a great tourism place nowadays. It is still an active
volcano, and only recently the warning has been lifted because scientists may believe
that Hakone can erupt soon again.

This image shows what is happening when a volcanic earthquake takes place:

In this
picture,
it shows
that
magma is being injected into the system. This shows how volcanic earthquakes look
like.

As I said earlier, volcanoes and earthquakes are very related to each other. There are
many reasons why, volcanoes and earthquakes are related, and as I pointed out earlier,
volcanoes can cause earthquakes, and it can also sometimes be the opposite, where
an earthquake causes a volcano. Remember, all these reasons are just theories. It is
really amazing how scientists come up with these theories, and how all of the theories
add up to each other and connect to each other.

How and Why do tectonic plates move?

The basic theory of why tectonic plates move is convection currents. The convection
currents occur between the Mantle and the core. The heat from the core rises up to the
Mantle, and the cooler heat from the Mantle sinks. This is how convection currents
work, in a circulation or a cycle.

You can also think of it as a pot of boiling water. The heat from the stove (which is the
core in this case) warms up the water that is at the bottom at the pot, which is the
Mantle, and that warm water rises up to the surface, along with the cold water at the
surface, sinking.

Most of the tectonic plates move because of the convection currents, where it happens
along the Mantle and the Core.

It takes a really long time for tectonic plates to move. It usually takes about 1 to 2 inches
a year. It takes million and millions of years to wait for the plates to move apart from
each other or You cannot exactly feel it, but right now it is moving. This shows how slow
tectonic plates move.

When a tectonic plate moves, there are three different types of movement, or also
known as tectonic plate boundaries: Transform boundary, Divergent boundary, and
Convergent boundary.

First of all, divergent plate boundaries. Divergent boundaries is a type of movement of

tectonic plates where two tectonic plates pull away from each other. This can cause a
gap between the two plates, which can form into a tiny volcano, which can spit out a
little bit of lava and the lava solidifies. This routine is continued, forming a volcano, but
really slowly taking many many years to fully become a volcano.

Second, convergent boundaries. Convergent boundaries is a movement of tectonic

plates colliding with each other. This can lead to forming a fold mountain, and it
sometimes can sometimes bend one plate to the seafloor trench.

Finally, transform boundary. Transform boundary looks like two plates rub together and
it causes a lot of very serious damage. It can cause faultlines, which can lead to small
earthquakes, but occurs a lot during the movement. It is usually located on the edge of
two plates. Unlike the other two boundaries-divergent and convergent-transform
boundaries do not form magma. A great example of a transform boundary in the world
today is the San Andreas fault. It is still currently moving and sliding past each other.

The second reason of why tectonic plates move is because of the Mantle. The Mantle is
one of the Earths layers. It takes up more than half of the Earths volume. This layer is
cooler than the core, but it is still really hot. The Mantle is made out of hot liquid, and the
tectonic plates slip and slide on the Mantle.

The effect of the tectonic plates movement is most of the time very heavy. It can lead to
serious natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis. Divergent
boundaries and Convergent boundaries aftereffects can be volcanoes. Earthquakes can
occur anywhere, anytime. According to study.com, the majority of earthquakes happen
in the Ring of Fire. The Ring of Fire is a location where many of the tectonic plates
gather or come together. This also explains why Japan is a country where a lot of
earthquakes occur, because Japan is a country that is made up of 4 plates. When these
plates move around, it causes an earthquake and that is why Japan is an earthquake
country.

Also, tectonic plates can cause volcanic eruptions. According to livescience.com, the
pacific Ring of Fire is also the subduction zone. When two tectonic plates meet at the

subduction zone, the heavier plate goes under the lighter one and the heavy plate slides
under, into the crust.

Another effect of the tectonic movement is continental drift. Continental drift is where
tectonic plates move, causing continents to drift. It takes millions and millions of years to
fully drift apart from each other. In fact, billions of years ago, the worlds continents
werent even shaped like continents at all! It was all in one big chunk of land and over
billions of years, it is shaped like it is right now.This one big chunk of land was called
Pangea. It is also still moving currently, at this moment.

Although these things that I just talked about are all theories, I think it is very interesting
how scientists came up with these theories, and especially that the world was one big
piece of land. I am also interested what would happen it there was no continental drift
and the world still remained as a pangea. Overall, I find everything about these theories
really amusing.