1. Is there a relationship between the locations of earthquake epicenters, volcanoes, and plate boundaries? If so, describe the relationship. 2. According to the theory of continental drift, all of the world’s continents were once connected as one large landmass and have, over the course of hundreds of millions of years, drifted apart into the positions they occupy today. Do the results of this activity support the theory of continental drift? If so, how? Explain your answer. 3. Why is it easier to predict where an earthquake epicenter will occur than it is to predict when it will occur? Explain. 4. The Richter scale describes how much energy an earthquake releases. With every increase of 1.0 on the scale, 32 times more energy is released. How many times more energy would be released by a quake measuring 2.0 more units on the Richter scale? 5. Why do you think the area around the Pacific Plate is called the Pacific Ring of Fire? 6. The Hawaiian Islands have formed as the Pacific Plate moves northwestward over a hot spot of Earth’s interior that provides magma to form several volcanos. Explain what could happen if the Pacific Plate continues to move. 7. How can volcanic eruptions be predicted?