Restless planet Flashcards
Describe the structure of the Earth
Crust on the outside (oceanic and continental), then upper mantle and lower mantle and then outer core and inner core
Name some plates
Many examples but: eurasian, North American, African
Where are most volcanoes found?
Along plate boundaries. A lot are found on the Indo-Australian plate and in the Ring of Fire
What are the 4 different plate boundaries?
Destructive, constructive, conservative and collison- collide into each other and buckle up
What is the movement of a destructive plate and what is found there?
Pushing into each other. Earthquakes, volcanoes and mountains are found there
What is the movement of a constructive plate and what is found there?
Pulling away from each other. Earthquakes, mountains and volcanoes
What is the movement of a conservative plate and what is found there?
Sliding past each other. Earthquakes occur here.
What is the difference between a shield and composite volcano?
A shield volcano is large and gently sloped with a wide base. They have non-explosive eruptions. They have runny lava. Composite volcanoes are tall, cone shaped with steep sides. They have explosive eruptions and thick lava.
What are the benefits of living near a volcano?
- Fertile land
- Money from tourism
- Valuable materials
How do convection currents and friction cause earthquakes?
Convection currents - move the plates, energy builds up
Friction - lots of energy, makes the ground tremor
What is an earthquakes focus and epicentre?
The focus is where the waves started and the epicentre is the point directly above the focus on the Earth’s surface
Describe a specific earthquake
(You can do any one you want this is just an example) Japan Earthquake March 2011 - destructive plate boundaries (Okhotsk and Pacific plates), pressure built up due to subduction. Near Tokyo, massive tsunamis and nuclear disaster. 20,000 died. Helped by other countries e.g. red cross. Had to rebuild infrastructure and economy.
How can earthquakes and volcanoes be monitored and measured?
Earthquakes are measured on the Richter scale (1 being weakest and 9 being strongest). Volcanoes are measured by VEI (volcanic explosivity index). Both can be detected by seismographic detection devices.
