Plate Tectonics Flashcards
What is the mantle
The mantle is a semi liquid layer of magma that moves due to convection currents
What is the crust
The crust is a solid layer of rock on the surface of the planet. The thickness varies between 3 and 30
What is the outer core
The liquid part of the core which has a similar composition to the inner core
What is the inner core.
The inner core the solid part at the centre of the earth it’s made of iron and nickel and has temperatures reaching 5500c
How do convection currents cause the tectonic plates to move
The crost is broken up into seven large sections and various smaller sections which are floating on the mantle and moving towards, away from and past each other. The heat from the inner core tries to escape and (boils) semi-molten rocks in the mantle and slowly moves the crust above it
What plate boundary is the indo Australian plate
Collision
What type of plate boundary is the South American plate
Deconstructive
What type of plate boundary is the North American plate
Constructive
What type of plate boundary is the Eurasian plate
Conservative
What is a volcano
A volcano is an opening or rupture in the earths surface of crust which allows hot magma, volcanic ash and gases to escape from the surface
What is a main vent
The opening for the magma to go up through the volcano
What is the magma chamber
The source of the molten rock
What is the crater
The circular basin shape on the top of the volcano
What is the secondary cone
A secondary vent formed on the side of the mountain
What are volcanic bombs
Airborne material from a volcanic eruption
What does active mean
A volcano that could erupt at any given point
What does dormant mean
A volcano that is sleeping and hasn’t erupted for years
What does extinct mean
A volcano that will never be active again
Volcanic hazards
Ash
The smoke cloud normally seen from an eruption is ash.
It can travel several miles and settles as ash-fall
it can produce very fertile soil
Volcanic hazards
Gas
Volcano produce gas when they are erupting.
This includes co2 steam and sulphur dioxide volcano gases smell of rotten eggs due to the sulphur present.
Volcanic hazards
Acid rain
The sulphur emissions from volcanoes can cause acid rain
Acid rain can be dangerous to plant and animals it can also harm humans
Volcanic hazards
Lahar
Lahar is a mudflow that comes from a volcano.
It can be dangerous due to its energy @nd speed. It’s fluid when moving solidifies when stopped
Volcanic hazards
Pyroclastic flow
Pyrclastic flows are floods of gas lava and rock that rush down the volcano after an eruption. Their hot gases and high speed make them lethal to anything in their path
Volcanic hazards
Lava flow
Lava flow is created by a non-explosive eruption.
It consists of molten rock
It’s thick and can travel very far before solidifying
It can be very destructive but it’s slow moving