Chapter 1 - The Earth

Question 1

Name the most inner layer of the earth.

Answer 1

The core

Question 2

What two metals does the core compress?

Answer 2

1) Iron

2) Nickel

Question 3

What layer surrounds the core?

Answer 3

The mantle

Question 4

What is the mantle made of?

Answer 4

Semi-molten rock known as magma.

Question 5

Name the outermost layer of the earth.

Answer 5

The crust.

Question 6

What is continental drift?

Answer 6

The process of the earth’s continents moving as a result of tectonic plates moving on the surface of the crust.

Question 7

Describing how tectonic plates move.

Answer 7

Tectonic plates move as a result of convection currents in the mantle: the core is very hot so the magma moves upward. The magma then cools and sinks back downwards. As the magma moves there is friction between the plates and the magma, this causes the plates to move.

Question 8

What land feature forms when tectonic plates collide?

Answer 8

Fold mountain (e.g. The Rockies)

Question 9

Name the land feature that forms when tectonic plates separate.

Answer 9

Volcanoes (e.g. Mt. St. Helens)

Question 10

What occurs as tectonic plates slide past each other.

Answer 10

Earthquakes (e.g. The sischuan earthquake)

Question 11

What is the fault line?

Answer 11

The line which plates slide past each other.

Question 12

What is the focus?

Answer 12

The point where the earthquake originates in the earth’s crust.

Question 13

What is the epicentre?

Answer 13

The point on the earths surface directly above the focus.

Question 14

At what area is the earthquake most damaging?

Answer 14

The epicentre

Question 15

What is an aftershock?

Answer 15

Smaller tremors that follow the earthquake. They may be more dangerous than the earthquake because buildings have already been weakened by the earthquake.

Question 16

How are earthquakes measured?

Answer 16

Earthquakes are measured on the Richter scale by a seismograph.

Question 17

Give 3 effects of a named earthquake.

Answer 17

The sischuan earthquake:

1) Many people died
2) Many people were made homeless
3) Animals were killed
4) Landslides (resulting from the earthquake) disrupted communications

Question 18

What is a tsunami?

Answer 18

An underwater earthquake that causes a massive wave. They are equally devastating.

Question 19

Name a country that has benefit from volcanic activity. Mention 3 of these benefits.

Answer 19

Iceland:

1) creates geothermal energy
2) centrally heats houses
3) heats greenhouse gases for growing vegetables

Question 20

Name a volcano that has negativity impacted a named region. Mention 3 of these impacts.

Answer 20

Mt. St. Helens, USA:

1) Killed people
2) Stripped down forests
3) Melted snow at the summit mixed with ash to form mudflows that blocked shipping channels.

Question 21

Name the three states of a volcano and describe each.

Answer 21

1) Active - Frequently erupts.
2) Dormant - Has not erupted in recent times.
3) Extinct - Has not erupted in recorded times.

Question 22

Name the location where most of the worlds active volcanoes are found.

Answer 22

The Pacific ring of fire

Question 23

What is the name given to an underwater mountain range?

Answer 23

A mid ocean ridge.

Question 24

Give an example of a mid ocean ridge.

Answer 24

The mid Atlantic ridge

Question 25

How do fold mountains form?

Answer 25

They form when tectonic plates collide. The earth’s surface buckles and forms a series of folds.

Question 26

Give a example of a fold mountain.

Answer 26

The alpine fold mountains

Question 27

Name the three layers of the earth.

Answer 27

1) The crust
2) The mantle
3) The core