tectonic processes and hazards: enquiry question 1

Question 1

destructive/ convergent plate boundaries

Answer 1

-crust is destroyed as one plate dives under another at the subduction zone
-rocks catch against each other as the plates are not smooth
-pressure builds between plates until the plates can’t take the stress
-can cause both plates to move, resulting in the ground shaking
-example: Nazca plate, South America
-process: two plates move towards each other, oceanic plate is subducted under the continental plate
hazards: earthquakes and destructive volcanoes

Question 2

collision plate boundaries

Answer 2

-example: Himalaya mountain range, Nepal
-process: two continental plates move towards each other, one is subducted- similar to destructive plate boundaries- fold mountains are created
-hazards: destructive earthquakes

Question 3

crustal fracturing

Answer 3

significant breaks or faults in the earth’s crust that are caused by tectonic forces, leading to the formation of large scale fractures in the crust

Question 4

ground shaking

Answer 4

the vibration of the ground during an earthquake; caused by body waves and surface waves.
- severity of ground shaking increases as the magnitude increases and decreases as the distance from the causative fault increases

Question 5

landslides

Answer 5

a mass movement of material such as rock, earth, or debris, down a slope
-can happen suddenly or more slowly over long periods of time

Question 6

liquefaction

Answer 6

a process by which water-saturated sediment temporarily loses strength and acts like a fluid- can be caused by earthquake shaking

Question 7

Tsunami

Answer 7

a series of waves in a body of water caused by the displacement of a large body of water
- can be caused by earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and underwater explosions

Question 8

Benioff zone

Answer 8

a dipping flat zone where earthquakes are produced by interaction of a downgoing oceanic plate with a continental plate

Question 9

subduction zone

Answer 9

-the place where two lithospheric plates come together- one riding over the other
-most volcanoes on land occur parallel to and inland from the boundary between the two plates

Question 10

tectonic hazard

Answer 10

Tectonic hazards are threats caused by the movement of tectonic plates that have the potential to cause damage to life, property, the environment, human activity and/or the economy.

Question 11

distribution of tectonic hazards

Answer 11

-plate boundaries
-ring of fire
-intra- plate

Question 12

intra-plate earthquakes

Answer 12

-Intraplate earthquakes are a variety of earthquake that occurs within the interior of a tectonic plate
-triggered off by collision between plates and are known as deep focus earthquakes

Question 13

hotspot volcanoes

Answer 13

-Volcanic hot spots are plumes of molten rock which rise from the mantle and cause the crust to melt, creating magma resulting in volcanic activity.