Question

The Pacific Plate is moving 29 mm/year toward the north and 20 mm/year toward the west relative to the North American Plate. Show how to use geometry and the Pythagorean Theorem to calculate the total relative motion toward the northwest.

Answer 1

Answer:

7 mm per year

Explanation:

It is given that :

The Pacific plate is moving towards north at = 29 mm per year

The Pacific plate is moving towards west at = 20 mm per year

We have to calculate the total relative motion towards the northwest.

So we have to find the resultant of the two motions.

Since the two movements are perpendicular, therefore the angle between the two motions is 90 degree.

Therefore, finding their resultant,

$R^2=(29)^2+(20)^2$

$R^2=(49)^2$

R = 7

Therefore, total relative motion towards the northwest is 7 mm per year.