The Earth Flashcards
Which of earths layer is the hottest?
The (inner) core
Name the different layers of the earth
- Crust
- Mantle (magma)
- Outer core
- Inner core
What is the crust made of?
Rock
What is the mantle made of?
Semi-molten rock (magma)
What is the core made of?
Iron and nickel
What happens when two plates collide?
When two plates collide, the heavier plate is pushed downwards into the mantle
What happens when plates pull apart?
When plates pull apart, the magma rises up and cools to form more crust
Name all plates
~Eurasian ~Nazca ~American ~Indian ~Australian ~Pacific ~African
Name 2 plates that are in collision
The Nazca plate and American plate
Name 2 plates that are pulling apart
The Eurasian plate and American plate
What are plates?
Plates are sections of the Earth’s crust
Name 3 activities that take place at plate boundaries
~Mountain building activity
~Volcanic activity
~Earthquake activity
Why do plates move?
Plates move because of convection currents
What are convection currents?
Convection currents occur in the mantle, when the magma rises up towards the crust, it then cools and sinks back down to the bottom, this causes the plates to move
What was the name of the original continent on the Earth?
Pangaea
How did Pangaea break up? What was this called?
The continent began to break up, and the sections that broke off eventually began to drift away, to form the continents we know today, this was called continental drift
What is a mid-ocean ridge?
A mid-ocean ridge is an underwater mountain range, with volcanic islands
How is a mid-ocean ridge formed?
A mid-ocean ridge is formed when two plates pull apart and mantle rises up and cools to form and underwater mountain range and volcanic islands
Name a volcanic island and how it was formed?
Iceland was formed when the American and Eurasian plates pulled apart to create a volcanic island
What is geothermal energy?
Geothermal energy is hot water or steam underneath the Earth’s surface which is converted into electricity
How are volcanic mountains formed?
Volcanic mountains are formed when magma erupts through a hole in the crust called a vent
Where are volcanoes generally found?
Volcanoes are usually found on plate boundaries
Where are half of the worlds active volcanoes found?
The Pacific Ring of Fire
What is an active volcano?
A volcano that still erupts regularly
