Explanation:
Earthquakes are not randomly distributed across the Earth's surface. Instead, they primarily occur along tectonic plate boundaries, where the Earth's plates interact. These interactions include:
1. **Convergent Boundaries**: Plates move toward each other, often causing one plate to subduct beneath the other. This can lead to powerful earthquakes, such as those in the "Ring of Fire" around the Pacific Ocean.
2. **Divergent Boundaries**: Plates move apart from each other, leading to the formation of new crust as magma rises to the surface. Earthquakes here are typically less intense. An example is the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
3. **Transform Boundaries**: Plates slide past each other horizontally. The friction between the plates can cause significant earthquakes. The San Andreas Fault in California is a well-known transform boundary.
Additionally, there are intraplate earthquakes that occur away from plate boundaries, often due to reactivation of old faults or human activities such as mining or reservoir-induced seismicity. These are less common but can still be significant.
Overall, the global distribution of earthquakes is closely tied to the structure and dynamics of the Earth's lithosphere.
