EOY TECTONICS paper 1

Question 1

Divergent plate boundaries

Answer 1

Move away from each other

Question 2

convergent plates

Answer 2

move towards each other

Question 3

conservative plates

Answer 3

move alongside each other

Question 4

what is the only plate boundary that you must know the differences when different types of plates interact

Answer 4

convergent

Question 5

describe as much of what happens at a divergent plate boundary

Answer 5

plates are moving away from each other.
When the two plates are pulled apart, magma rises in between the gap left by the two plates separating. Lava (when magma is above ground, it is classed as lava) then pours out onto the surface
volcanoes form in the areas where lava pours out. This lava is usually runny and free-flowing, which creates flatter volcanoes. Earthquakes also occur here as the plates shake and vibrate when they move apart.
This can happen on continental or oceanic crust.
When lava cools, it forms rock. Over time, this rock builds up and can form islands, eg Iceland is a volcanic island.

Question 6

Describe a convergent plate boundary, continental to continental, as best as you can.

Answer 6

Plates move towards each other.
When two continental plates meet, neither plate can subduct below the other. The crust is crumpled upwards by the pressure building between two plates, creating fold mountains. An example of this is the Himalayas, which formed due to the Indian Plate ad Eurasian Plate colliding.

Question 7

Describe a convergent plate boundary, continental to oceanic, or oceanic to oceanic, as best as you can.

Answer 7

Plates move towards each other.
The denser oceanic crust is subducted below the continental crust into the mantle, where it is destroyed.
The plate that is subducting leaves a deep ocean trench.
Friction between the two plates causes strong, deep earthquakes
The oceanic crust is melted as it is pulled deeper into the mantle, creating magma.
This magma causes pressure to build up under the crust
Eventually the magma pushes out through weaknesses in the crust, creating explosive volcanoes.

This process can also happen between two oceanic crust plates, where the denser plate sinks below and islands in the ocean can form. EG the Mariana trench.

Question 8

Describe as best as you can how Conservative plate boundaries work

Answer 8

Parallel plates move in different directions or at different speeds in relation to each other.
When they move side by side, friction builds between the plates.
The friction builds up over many years, and eventually the pressure becomes so large that the plates eventually move in a sudden jolt.
This releases a lot of energy which sends vibrations through the ground. This is an earthquake.
On oceanic crust, this movement can displace a lot of water, which causes large waves called tsunamis.
On continental crust, fault lines can occur where the ground is cracked by the movement.
There are no volcanoes on conservative plate boundaries because no magma is being generated.

Question 9

what are hotspots

Answer 9

areas of volcanic activities that are not related to plate boundaires.