> Where can you find the geographic phenomenon known as the Ring of Fire?And the answer: Pacific Ocean.Photo credit: Christopher Michel[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/en:Christopher_Michel]The Ring of Fire followsthe edges of the Pacific Ocean, stretching in a horse-shoe shape from the SouthPacific, up along Asia's east coast, and down the west coast of the Americas.The area is known for intense volcanic eruptions and earthquakes, caused byshifting tectonic plates.Located along the convergence points of over ten major tectonic plates, the Ringof Fire is home to 75% of the world's volcanoes and 90% of its earthquakes. Theplates are constantly in motion, which creates deep ocean trenches, volcaniceruptions and ground-shaking earthquakes. These unstable tectonic meeting pointsare called fault lines, and span over 25,000 miles in 15 countries. When tectonic plates collide head on, they create what's called a convergentboundary. This forces one plate below the other, and often causes earthquakesalong the way. As we speak, the Nazca oceanic plate is being driven down by theSouth American continental plate to create a subduction zone. Subduction zonesoften lift mountains and supply magma to the surface for volcanic activity.Sometimes, the collision is so immense that it creates extremely deep underwaterchasms, such as the Mariana Trench. Part of a larger subduction zone, itcontains the deepest point of any ocean on Earth. Called the "Challenger Deep,"that area's floor lies 36,070 feet below sea level.Did you know?The Ring of Fire is a great producer of geothermal energy. The Earth's interiorproduces natural hot water reservoirs that can produce electricity withoutemitting greenhouse gasses. This renewable resource may be a popular alternativein the years to come.