1.4 - Earth's Tectonic Structure Flashcards
What drives the movement of Earth’s tectonic plates?
Convection currents in the mantle.
What is the ‘conveyor belt’ analogy used to describe?
The continuous movement of tectonic plates over the Earth’s surface.
Which type of boundary is associated with seafloor spreading?
Divergent boundaries.
What happens at a subduction zone?
One tectonic plate is forced beneath another.
What geological feature forms at convergent boundaries?
Mountain ranges or deep ocean trenches.
What is the main driving force behind plate tectonics?
Heat from the Earth’s core causing mantle convection.
What is the mid-Atlantic ridge an example of?
A divergent plate boundary.
How do tectonic plates move relative to each other at transform boundaries?
They slide past each other.
What effect does slab pull have on plate movement?
It pulls the plate downward into the mantle at subduction zones.
What natural hazards are commonly associated with plate tectonics?
Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
What is ridge push in the context of plate tectonics?
Gravity pushing oceanic plates away from mid-ocean ridges.
What causes hotspots to form in the Earth’s crust?
Plumes of hot mantle material rising to the surface.
What is an example of a volcanic hotspot?
Hawaiian Islands.
What is the term for the movement of Earth’s crustal plates?
Plate tectonics.
Which type of boundary creates earthquakes but not volcanoes?
Transform boundaries.
