The Wilson Cycle

Question 1

What is a poor conductor of heat?

Answer 1

The lithosphere

Question 2

Where does heat get stuck?

Answer 2

Underneath the lithosphere and it builds up

Question 3

What happens when a supercontinent is formed?

Answer 3

When a supercontinent is formed it happens when lots of plates come together and there is lots of fault zones

Question 4

What happens with heat?

Answer 4

Heat is more buoyant and wants to rise up as much as it can and exploits weaknesses like faults and fractures

Question 5

What does this form?

Answer 5

Forms ocean ridges and ocean basins

Question 6

What happens at the first stage?

Answer 6

Thick continental lithosphere causes heat to store up in the asthenosphere
Buoyant asthenosphere bulges upward, especially beneath supercontinents

Question 7

What are two models for alleviating strain?

Answer 7

Mechanical stretching
Magmatic extension

Question 8

What is mechanical stretching?

Answer 8

Mechanical stretching can create large normal faults in the brittle layers of the upper crust. Because the crust is cold and brittle it will start breaking

Question 9

What is magmatic extension?

Answer 9

Magmatic extension can occur due to melt intrusion from the asthenosphere to the surface. If there is a lot of melt, weaknesses can be intruded