Geography tectonic

Question 1

What are the four major layers of the Earth’s structure?

Answer 1

Inner Core, Outer Core, Mantle and Crust

Question 2

Which layer is thickest?

Answer 2

Mantle

Question 3

Which two layers are entirely solid?

Answer 3

Crust and Inner Core

Question 4

What are the two different types of crust?

Answer 4

Continental and Oceanic

Question 5

Which type of crust is more dense? Why is this significant?

Answer 5

Oceanic - when two plates meet, the oceanic plate subducts (goes under) the continental plate because it is more dense

Question 6

What is the name of the process that causes the Earth’s tectonic plates to move?

Answer 6

Convection Currents

Question 7

How many different types of plate boundary are there?

Answer 7

4 - Convergent (continental-oceanic), Collision (continental-continental), Divergent and Conservative

Question 8

What direction do the plates move in at convergent plate boundaries?

Answer 8

Towards each other

Question 9

True or False? Volcanoes occur at conservative plate boundaries.

Answer 9

False - at conservative plate boundaries, there is no opportunity for magma to reach the surface as the plates are moving alongside each other

Question 10

Explain two characteristics of a shield volcano.

Answer 10

Shield volcanoes form at divergent plate boundaries. They are low in height and feature wide bases with gentle slopes (shaped like a shield) - this is due to the non- viscous (thin and runny) lava which can travel over great distances before cooling and solidifying. Eruptions tend to be frequent and non-violent because the magma has a lower gas content and a lower viscosity.

Question 11

Explain two characteristics of a composite volcano.

Answer 11

Composite volcanoes form at convergent plate boundaries. They are typically more cone-shaped and feature much steeper sides than shield volcanoes. Composite volcanoes don’t erupt very often but they are very violent/explosive due to the magma having a high gas content and a high viscosity (thick and sticky).

Question 12

What is a hotspot?

Answer 12

It is literally a ‘hot spot’ on the Earth’s surface, often found in the middle of a tectonic plate e.g. Hawaii.

Question 13

Complete the following sentences.
In an earthquake, the point of rupture - where the earthquake happens underground- is called the f_____. Shock waves radiate out from this point. The e_________ is the point directly above this on the Earth’s surface (where the earthquake is felt the
most).

Answer 13

In an earthquake, the point of rupture - where the earthquake happens
underground - is called the focus. Shock waves radiate out from this point. The epicentre is the point directly above this on the Earth’s surface (where the earthquake is felt the most).

Question 14

What does magnitude mean?

Answer 14

Size or strength of an earthquake

Question 15

What is the name of the scale that earthquakes are measured on?

Answer 15

The Richter Scale / The Moment Magnitude Scale

Question 16

What causes tsunamis?

Answer 16

Underwater earthquakes caused by tectonic activity

Question 17

What was your developing country earthquake case study and when did it happen?

Answer 17

Haiti (2010)

Question 18

a) Identify at least two primary and two secondary impacts for your developing country earthquake case study.

Answer 18

a) Primary: 316,000 people died and 300,000 injured; 180,000 homes were destroyed and people had to live in squatter camps with limited water/sanitation; all x8 hospitals collapsed or were badly damaged; the port was badly damaged and the airport control tower collapsed which made it difficult for international aid to be given; electricity, water and communications were badly disrupted or destroyed

Secondary: Cholera spread throughout squatter camps; factories were closed and tourism stopped - the economy crashed; looting and crime increased as thegovernment and police force collapsed

Question 19

b) In your opinion, which was most significant - the primary or the secondary impacts?

Answer 19

b) Your opinion - no right or wrong answer!

Question 20

Identify at least one immediate and one long-term response for your developing earthquake case study.

Answer 20

Immediate: Search and rescue teams searched for people by hand; food, water, medical supplies and temporary shelters were brought in by the USA and the Dominican Republic; American divers and engineers cleared the port so ships could unload aid; UK’s disasters emergency committee raised more than £100 million to be
donated

Long-term: The government moved 235,000 people from the capital to less damaged cities; ¾ of the damaged buildings were repaired - they even used earthquake-resistant techniques in some cases such as building with old tyres, straw bales or bamboo, with lighter roofs made from large leaves or tarpaulin; 200,000 people were paid or received food for public work in the months that followed, such as clearing away tonnes of rubble

Question 21

What was your developed country earthquake case study and when did it happen?

Answer 21

Tohoku, Japan (2011)

Question 22

Identify at least two primary and two secondary impacts for your developed
country earthquake case study.

Answer 22

Primary: Between 667-1479 deaths occurred as a direct result of the earthquake; buildings collapsed and people’s homes were severely damaged; roads and railways were damaged; electricity, water and sewerage systems were disrupted - the main power supply to several nuclear power stations was cut, including the Fukushima Daiichi plant; some land in Tokyo suffered from liquefaction (the ground turned to
liquid); caused a tsunami

Secondary: Over 17,000 died drowning in the tsunami and a further 5,000 were injured or reported missing; 127,000 buildings collapsed and 1.2 million buildings were severely damaged; the Fukushima Dam burst; the tsunami damaged the back- up generator at the Fukushima Daiichi plant which caused a nuclear meltdown because the cooling systems failed; $235-300 billion worth of damages in Japan alone

Question 23

Identify at least one immediate and one long-term response for your developed
earthquake case study.

Answer 23

Immediate: Rescue workers and Japanese soldiers helped with search and rescue; the government requested international aid and other developed countries sent in search and rescue teams; other countries, private companies in Japan, the Red Cross and other charities around the world provided support; 140,000 people were evacuated from a 20km radius around the Fukushima power plant Long-term: Transport and communication services were partially restored, the power supply took longer to repair; in 2012, the government set up an agency to
coordinate the rebuilding efforts in the Tohoku area (expected to take 10 years); in 2015, nearly all of the disaster debris had been cleared; the government spend $12 billion on building a sea wall to protect the low coastal zone from future tsunamis

Question 24

How can the impact of earthquakes be reduced?

Answer 24

The 3 P’s - Prediction (currently very difficult to predict earthquakes), Planning and Preparation (training emergency services, plan evacuation routes, have regular earthquake/tsunami drills in schools/workplaces, build earthquake-proof buildings)