A volcanic arc is a chain of volcanoes that lines up parallel to a subduction zone, where one tectonic plate is being forced beneath another. But there are other ways to describe this geological phenomenon. For example, a volcanic front refers to the line of volcanic activity at the edge of a tectonic plate, while a volcanic belt is a broader region that includes both dormant and active volcanoes. A magmatic arc describes the molten rock that is generated by the heat and pressure of subduction, while a volcanic chain refers to a more linear collection of volcanoes that may or may not be associated with a subduction zone.