Dynamic Landscapes

Tectonic plates are the sections of the lithosphere.

Volcanoes, earthquakes, and tsunamis.

Pangaea.

Tectonic plates.

False.

Magnetic grains in cooled magma on the seafloor switch polarity with distance from the plate boundary; this shows that seafloor spreading has happened.

Mantle convection is the movement of magma due to its variation in temperature and density, which also causes the tectonic plates to move.

Subduction is when the denser tectonic plate is pushed underneath the other plate.

Slab pull is the gravitational pull that causes the denser plate to further move after subduction.

Crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core.

There are seven major tectonic plates.

Examples of tectonic plates are the African, Antarctic, Eurasian, Indo-Australian, North American, Pacific and South American tectonic plates.

Less dense.

Basaltic rock.

Less dense.

Tectonic processes are interactions between tectonic plates that impact the structure of the Earth’s crust.

Mantle convection, subduction and slab pull.

Convection currents in the mantle.

Rift valleys and low-magnitude earthquakes.

Subduction.

Mountain ranges.

The regions where plates are sliding past each other in the horizontal direction are called the conservative plate boundaries or transform plate boundaries. Due to the irregularity of the surface of the plates caused by rocks, the friction and pressure build-up and the plates eventually slide past each other, causing frequent earthquakes.

The rocks from the plates are pulverised and often create fault valleys or undersea canyons.

The movement of tectonic plates relative to each other leads to tectonic processes, which are interactions between tectonic plates that impact the structure of the Earth’s crust. Tectonic processes can lead to tectonic hazards.

Tectonic plates are the sections of the lithosphere.

Examples of tectonic hazards include volcanic activities, earthquakes and tsunamis.

Continental drift is the movement of the continents of Earth after the separation from Pangaea, one large continent.

The theory of plate tectonics was proposed when the outline of tectonic plates was found in 1960 after seismographs were used to test for atomic bombs during World War II. This recorded the vibrations of earthquakes which allowed them to discover the epicentres of the earthquakes.

Seafloor spreading is when magma fills the gap with rock as the tectonic plates move apart.

Palaeomagnetism explains seafloor spreading because scientists found that some of the rocks in the ocean ground have magnetic signatures in opposite directions to the rocks next to them. This indicates that the new magnetic alignment is the magma that fills in between tectonic plates.

Mantle convection is the movement of magma due to its variation in temperature and density, which also causes the tectonic plates to move.

Subduction is when the denser tectonic plate is pushed underneath the other plate.

Slab pull is the gravitational pull that causes the denser plate to further move after subduction.

The different layers within the Earth are the crust, mantle, outer core and inner core.

There are seven major tectonic plates.

Examples of tectonic plates are the African, Antarctic, Eurasian, Indo-Australian, North American, Pacific and South American tectonic plates.

The continental crust is made of granite rock that comprises quartz, feldspar, and other relatively lightweight material, mostly silicon and aluminium.

The oceanic crust is made of basaltic rock and other materials, predominantly silicon and magnesium.

Tectonic plates float on the mantle due to the composition of the rocks within the plates that make them less dense than the mantle.

Tectonic processes are interactions between tectonic plates that impact the structure of the Earth’s crust.

Tectonic processes occur due to the movement of tectonic plates relative to each other. The cause of the movement of tectonic plates can be summarised by mantle convection, subduction and slab pull.

At divergent plate boundaries (also known as constructive plate boundaries), the plates are moving away from each other. This occurs as the convection current of the mantle pushes the plates apart, generating a gap in between, causing magma to fill the gap and producing a new crust.

Most are located at ocean ridges and generate low magnitude earthquakes. Divergent boundaries between continental plates often form rift valleys.

Convergent/destructive plate boundaries are where plates are moving towards each other. When an oceanic crust and a continental crust meet, the denser oceanic crust is pushed below the continental crust (also known as subduction). The oceanic crust underneath is destroyed in the process. When continental plates collide, it can also cause either one or both of the plates to buckle up.

When an oceanic crust meets with another oceanic crust, subduction also occurs. Island arcs and oceanic trenches are often created. When continental plates collide, it can also cause either one or both of the plates to buckle up, consequently forming mountain ranges.

The regions where plates are sliding past each other in the horizontal direction are called the conservative plate boundaries or transform plate boundaries. Due to the irregularity of the surface of the plates caused by rocks, the friction and pressure build-up and the plates eventually slide past each other, causing frequent earthquakes.

The rocks from the plates are pulverised and often create fault valleys or undersea canyons.

The movement of tectonic plates relative to each other leads to tectonic processes, which are interactions between tectonic plates that impact the structure of the Earth’s crust. Tectonic processes can lead to tectonic hazards.

A natural disaster is when a natural hazard has exceeded a given threshold meaning it has caused significant damage to society or a community and they can no longer cope using their own resources. This includes disruptions to human, material or environmental aspects, such as loss of life, injuries and damage to infrastructure.

Examples of natural disasters include earthquakes, volcanic activity, extreme heat, floods, wildfires, tsunamis and hurricanes.