Which of the following statements regarding Arc Volcanoes is/are corre

Which of the following statements regarding Arc Volcanoes is/are correct ?

  • 1. Arc volcanoes are found near divergent plate boundaries.
  • 2. Some of the world’s classical examples of cone-shaped stratovolcanoes, such as Mount Fuji in Japan, Mayon in the Philippines are Arc volcanoes.
  • 3. Some of the highest volcanoes on Earth are of the Arc type, notably Nevado Ojos del Salado in the Chilean Andes.

Select the answer using the code given below :

2 only
2 and 3 only
1 and 3 only
1, 2 and 3
This question was previously asked in
UPSC CDS-2 – 2024
Statement 1 is incorrect. Arc volcanoes are typically found near convergent plate boundaries, where one tectonic plate subducts beneath another. This process leads to the melting of the mantle wedge above the subducting plate, generating magma that rises to the surface to form volcanoes in an arc shape parallel to the plate boundary. Divergent plate boundaries are associated with rift volcanism (like mid-ocean ridges) or flood basalts.

Statement 2 is correct. Volcanic arcs are known for producing explosive eruptions and building steep-sided, cone-shaped composite volcanoes (stratovolcanoes). Mount Fuji in Japan and Mount Mayon in the Philippines are indeed famous examples of stratovolcanoes located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, which is largely composed of volcanic arcs formed by subduction.

Statement 3 is correct. Volcanic arcs, particularly those associated with continental collision or significant crustal thickening, can host very high volcanoes. The Andes mountain range in South America is a classic example of a volcanic arc formed by the subduction of the Nazca Plate beneath the South American Plate. Nevado Ojos del Salado, located in the Chilean Andes, is one of the highest volcanoes in the world (and the highest active volcano).

– Arc volcanoes form at convergent plate boundaries (subduction zones).
– Stratovolcanoes like Fuji and Mayon are characteristic of volcanic arcs.
– High volcanoes, including Nevado Ojos del Salado, are found in some volcanic arcs like the Andes.
Volcanic arcs can be either continental (formed on the edge of a continent) or oceanic (forming a chain of volcanic islands). The shape of the arc is related to the curvature of the Earth and the angle of subduction.