Mount St Helens

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About Mount St Helens

It is a volcanic peak in the Cascade Range of southwestern Washington, United States of America.
It is part of the larger Pacific Ring of Fire.
The volcano was formed during four eruptive stages beginning about 275,000 years ago and has been the most active volcano in the Cascade Range during the Holocene.
Its eruption on May 18, 1980, was one of the greatest volcanic explosions ever recorded in North America.

Key points about Pacific Ring of Fire

It is also known as the Circum-Pacific Belt is a path along the Pacific Ocean characterized by active volcanoes and frequent earthquakes.
Its length is approximately 40,000 kilometres (24,900 miles).
It traces boundaries between several tectonic plates—including the Pacific, Juan de Fuca, Cocos, Indian-Australian, Nazca, North American, and Philippine Plates.

Q1) What are Tectonic plates?

These are large pieces of the Earth’s lithosphere (the rigid outer layer of the Earth) that fit together like a puzzle, covering the entire surface of the planet. These plates are constantly moving, albeit very slowly, and their interactions at plate boundaries are responsible for a variety of geological phenomena, including earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the creation of mountain ranges.

Source: Mount St Helens: More than 400 earthquakes recorded since mid-July. It is a threat?