The restless earth Flashcards
What is the crust?
The outer layer of the earth.
What is the crust split into?
Plates of varying size and at plate margins.
Why are the plates at plate margins able to move?
Due to the slabs of crust floating on the semi-molten upper mantle.
What determines plate movement?
Convection currents within the mantle.
What are the two types of crust? 2
- oceanic
* continental
What is the mantle?
The dense, mostly solid layer between the outer core and the crust.
What are the properties of the oceanic crust? 4
- newer
- denser
- can sink
- can be renewed and destroyed
What are the properties of the continental crust? 4
- older
- less dense
- cannot sink
- cannot be renewed or destroyed
What are the types of plate margin? 3
- destructive
- constructive
- conservative
What occurs at a destructive plate margin?
The denser oceanic crust sinks under the lighter continental crust through subduction. Great pressure is exerted and the oceanic crust is destroyed as it melts to form magma.
What is the collision boundary?
If two continental plates meet each other, they collide.
What happens at a constructive plate margin? 4
- plates pull away from each other
- cracks and fractures form between the plates where there is no solid crust
- magma forces its way into the cracks to the surface to form volcanoes
- new land is formed as the plates gradually pull apart
What happens at a conservative plate margin? 6
- plates are sliding past each other
- moving in similar direction
- moving at slightly different speeds/angles
- plates tend to get stuck
- build-up of pressure causes them to release
- sudden release of pressure cause an earthquake
What are fold mountains and ocean trenches a result of?
Plates moving together.
What mountain ranges include young fold mountains? 4
- Himalayas
- the Rockies
- the Andes
- the Alps
Why are older ocean trenches less high?
Due to erosion.
What do older fold mountains include? 2
- Cambrian mountains
* Cumbrian mountains
Where do ocean trenches form?
In some of the deepest parts of the ocean.
What are the 2 types of volcano?
- composite
* shield
Where do composite volcanoes occur?
Destructive plate margins.
Where do shield volcanoes occur?
Constructive plate margins.
Can you describe a composite volcano? 7
- crater
- steep slopes
- narrow base
- eruptions infrequent
- eruptions violent
- secondary cones
- layers of thick lava and ash
Can you describe a shield volcano? 7
- low, rounded peak
- wide base
- gentle slopes
- eruptions frequent
- eruptions non-violent
- layers of runny lava, with little ash
- crater