Topic 1: Tectonic Plates Flashcards
What is the structure of the earth?
Like an onion of 4 main layers
What theory did Alfred Wegener discover?
The Theroy of continental drift
What is the theory of the Continental drift?
How the earths continents have moved over geological time
What are some of the evidiences to support Alfred Wegner theroy?
The Jigsaw Fit
convection currents
Fossil theroy
palaeomagnetism
What is meant by the jigsaw fit?
All the continets fit like a jigsaw
What is meant by convection currents in Alfred Wegners theory?
There are convection currents in the mantle moving plates apart
What is meant by Fossil Theory in Alfred Wegners theory?
Similar fossils are found across different continents
What is meant by palaeomagnetism in Alfred Wegners Theory?
the study of magnetic rocks to record the history of the magnetic field.
What are the names of the major plate boundries?
Clue: Asian PE
African
South American
Indo-Australian
Antarctic
North American
Pacific
Eurasian
What are the two different tectonic plates?
Continental plates and oceanic plates
What are continental plates?
Continental plates are thicker, older and lighter, so they do not sink
What are oceanic plates?
Oceanic plates are thinner, younger, and denser so they can sink (subduct) under another plate.
What is a plate margin (boundary)?
the location where 2 tectonic plates meet or sit next to each other
What are the 3 different plate boundarys?
Conservative / transform
Constructive / divergent
Destructive / convergent
What movement occurs at a constructive plate boundary?
When two tectonic platers move away from each other
Where would you normally find a constructive plate boundry
Under the sea
What natural disaster happens at constructive plate boundarys?
Volcanoes and weak earthquakes
What movement occurs at a destructive plate boundary? (One oceanic plate and one continental plate)
Tectonic plates move toward each other and the oceanic subducts under the continental
What natural disaster happens at a destructive plate boundary? (One oceanic plate and one continental plate)
Intense volcanoes and earthquakes
What movement occurs at a destructive plate boundary? (Two continental plates)
Towards each other creating fold mountains due to the pressure
What natural diaster happens at a destructive plate boundary? (Two continental plates)
Earthquakes
What movement occurs at a conservative plate boundary
Continental plates slide past each other and get stuck
What natural diaster happens at a conservative plate boundary?
An intense Eathquake
What were the effects of the Haitain disaster?
It impacted them socially, economically, politically and environmentally
What does socially include?
Peoples quality of life (transport, health, homes , education)
What does economically include?
Wealth (jobs, income, tax, bussiness)
What does politically include?
Affects government decisions
What does environmentally include?
The enviornment
Where is the focus?
Where the earthquake happens
Where is the epicentre
The point on the ground where the earthquake happens
What happened in Haiti?
A richter scale 7 earthquake
What were the consequences of the haiti earthquake?
Many people died and were injured
Inmates escaped
The government had no control
Most homes and buildings collapsed
How do tsunamis form?
An earthquake or volcano under water
What is the Most common tsunami formation?
Destructive boundary earthquakes
What is a wave?
Energy travelling through water
What happends after an earthquake happens under water? (Tsunami)
A wave shoots up from the focus and travels to the nearest shore at a very high speed
Why does a tsunami go from about 3m to 100m
The converge (merge) together because of the shallower water
Example of a tsunami?
The indian Ocean Tsunami in 2004
What is one way you csn predict a tectonic hazard?
Using Seismographs to measure the earths temors leading up to a volcano
What can you do to prepare for a tectonic hazrd?
Make earthquake proof buildings
What are the four main layers of the earth
the crust
the mantle
the outer core
the inner core
Which layer or the earth is thickest?
The mantle
Which layer of the earth is the hottest?
The inner core
True or false
The inner core of the earth is a liquid
False
Which tectonic plate do we live on?
The eurasian plate
Where is an example of a divergent (constructive) plate boundary?
Iceland
Where is an example of a convergent (destructive) plate boundary?
Himalayas
What will happen at a convergent (destructive) plate boundary?
Fold mountains
What does pyroclastic flow mean?
Fast-moving currents of hot gas and rock
What plate boundry and how did the 2004 indian ocean tsunami happen?
Convergent (destructive) underwater earthquake
Which country was the most affected by the indian ocean tsunami?
Indonesia
Why do people live in volcanic areas?
Selling ash
