i am not a seismologist but i think the movement of plates create holes and cracks beneath the crust that may cause the formation of openings where the hot gases and great pressures pass through and for several months or years a violent volcano may explode!
2006-11-02 16:08:46
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answer #1
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answered by katagalugan9 4
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First of all, you need to understand a couple of things about how rocks melt. First of all, in order to melt, rock has to expand. As we go deeper into the Earth, temperature and pressure rise. If temperature was the only factor in determining if rock melts then most of the Earth would be molten. However, pressure prevents the rocks from being able to expand enough to melt.
The second factor is the effect of water on hot rocks. Water can actually break the chemical bonds in the rock. So an infusion of water into rocks that are close to, but not quite at, their melting temperature can lower the melting temperature enough for the rocks to melt.
So, this brings us to a subduction zone. In a subduction zone, it is always an oceanic plate that sinks down into the mantle. Since it is an oceanic plate, it has been sitting under an ocean absorbing water. As the plate sinks, the heat of the mantle forces this water out of the subducted plate and into the mantle that overlies the plate. At the depths where this occurs, the mantle rocks are close to their melting temperature for that depth. So, this infusion of water induces melting in that portion of the mantle that overlies the subducted plate. Molten rock is less dense than solid rock, so the molten rock (magma) rises toward the surface where it can fuel volcanism.
This is just a very basic description of what happens. There are a number of other complications that determine the composition of the magma. However, this should be enough to help you understand how subduction causes volcanism.
2006-11-02 15:44:33
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answer #2
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answered by Glenn Blaylock 2
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2016-10-21 04:29:51
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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