Theme 3 - Tectonic Processes and Landforms

Question 1

Crust?

Answer 1

the solid outermost layer of the earth lying above the mantle.

Question 2

Tectonic plates?

Answer 2

the earth’s crust and upper part of the mantle is split up into large sections.

Question 3

Plate boundary or margin?

Answer 3

the place where two or more plates in the earth’s crust meet.

Question 4

What are the two types of crust?

Answer 4

.continental crust, which is on average 35km thick
.oceanic crust, which is on average between 6km and 8km thick

Question 5

What are the layers of the earth? (starting with the crust)

Answer 5

.crust
.upper mantle
.lower mantle
.outer core
.inner core

Question 6

Where are earthquakes and volcanoes most likely to occur?

Answer 6

near plate margins.

Question 7

Earthquake?

Answer 7

a tremor of the surface of the earth resulting from shockwaves generated by the movement of rock masses within the earth, particularly near boundaries of tectonic plates.

Question 8

Volcano?

Answer 8

a mountain created by the eruption and deposition of lava and ash from a vent in the ground.

Question 9

Destructive margin?

Answer 9

a plate boundary (sometimes called convergent plate margin) where oceanic and continental plates move towards each other and the oceanic plate goes under the continental plate.

Question 10

Constructive margin?

Answer 10

a plate boundary (sometimes called divergent plate margin) where the crustal plates move apart from each other.

Question 11

Convection?

Answer 11

where heat in a gas or liquid is transferred from a warmer to a cooler place by upward movement.

Question 12

Magma?

Answer 12

molten rock located below the earth’s surface within the mantle or crust.

Question 13

Subduction?

Answer 13

the process in which an oceanic plate collides with and is forced down under an oceanic plate and drawn back into the mantle.

Question 14

Why do plates move?

Answer 14

tectonic plates move because of heat inside the Earth. The Earth’s interior is hot, and this heat makes the rock in the mantle move like a slow, circulating conveyor belt. This movement, called mantle convection, pushes and pulls on the plates at the surface, causing them to slowly drift.

Question 15

Ocean trench?

Answer 15

a long, narrow, deep depression in the oceanic floor formed at a subduction zone where the denser plate is forced below the less dense one.

Question 16

Fold mountains?

Answer 16

mountains that form by folding layers in the upper part of the earth’s crust.

Question 17

Ocean ridge?

Answer 17

a narrow, largely continuous underwater mountain system formed by the extrusion of lava at a divergent plate margin.

Question 18

Rift valley?

Answer 18

a lowland region that forms by the subsidence of land between two parallel faults where the earth’s tectonic plates moves apart or rift.

Question 19

Where are ocean trenches located and what is an example?

Answer 19

.destructive plate margin
.Mariana Trench

Question 20

Where are fold mountains located and what is an example?

Answer 20

.destructive plate margin
.Andes Mountains

Question 21

Where are ocean ridges located and what is an example?

Answer 21

.comstructive plate margin
.Mid-Atlantic Ridge

Question 22

Where are rift valley’s located and what is an example?

Answer 22

.constructive plate margin
.Thingvellir

Question 23

Shield volcano?

Answer 23

a volcanic cone with gentle slopes made up of layers of fluid basaltic lava.

Question 24

Stratovolcano?

Answer 24

a conical volcano with steep sides made up of alternating layers of lava and pryclastic material, such as ash.

Question 25

Caldera?

Answer 25

a volcanic cone where the original top and centre have been removed, either through a massive eruption or through collapse, leaving the base of the cone as a large ring-shaped ridge.

Question 26

Cinder cone?

Answer 26

a steepsided conical hill formed by the explosive eruption of cinders (glassy volcanic fragments) that accumulate around a vent.

Question 27

Lava tube?

Answer 27

a hollow tunnel formed when the outside of a lava flow cools and solidifies and the molten material passing through it is drained away.

Question 28

Geyser?

Answer 28

a hot spring that is under pressure and erupts, sending jets of water and steam into the air. The heat results from the contact of groundwater with magma bodies.

Question 29

Hotspot?

Answer 29

a small area of the earth’s crust which has an unusually high amount of volcanic activity.

Question 30

What are 3 large-scale features?

Answer 30

.shield volcanoes
.stratovolcanoes
.caldera

Question 31

What are 3 small-scale features?

Answer 31

.cinder cone
.lava tube
.geyser