Hazardous Earth: Plate Tectonics

Question 1

Convergent (Destructive) plate boundary

Answer 1

Oceanic and continental plates go towards each other, oceanic is forced underneath (subduction).
Causes: earthquake, tsunami, volcano and mountains. E.g. The Andes

Question 2

Convergent (collision) plate boundary

Answer 2

Two continental plates collide, land is pushed upwards

Causes: fold mountains. E.g. India

Question 3

Conservative (transform) plate boundary

Answer 3

Plates rub against each other, pressure builds

Causes: earthquake, tsunami. E.g. San Andreas fault

Question 4

Divergent (constructive) plate boundary

Answer 4

Two oceanic plates move apart, magma fills the gap

Causes: volcanoes, earthquake. E.g. mid Atlantic ridge

Question 5

Hotspot volcano

Answer 5

Volcano created at a weak point in a plate, magma goes up through the plate and creates a volcano. E.g. Hawaii

Question 6

Composite volcano (stratovolcano)

Answer 6

Tall, releases ash, viscous lava and pyroclastic cloud. Smaller than shield volcanoes. E.g. Pompeii

Question 7

Shield volcano

Answer 7

Flat, releases smooth lava, bigger than composite volcanoes.

E.g. Hawaii

Question 8

Earthquake

Answer 8

Seismic waves released by tectonic movements

Question 9

Tsunami

Answer 9

Earthquakes underwater displace water creating a large wave.

Question 10

Japanese case study details

Answer 10

15,000 dead
130,000 buildings destroyed
27,000 injured
300,000 people displaced
Fukushima Nuclear leak
$183B

Question 11

Haitian case study details

Answer 11

230,000 dead
250,000 homes destroyed
300,000 injured 
Cholera outbreak
500,000 homeless
$8.5B

Question 12

Richter scale

Answer 12

Scale of earthquake magnitude