Earth’s Structure
What are the 5 layers of the Earth?
Crust, Outer mantle, inner mantle outer core, inner core
What are tectonic plates?
Large slabs of the Earth’s crust that move
What is a plate boundary?
Where two tectonic plates meet
What landform is made when plates collide?
Mountains
What plate is Australia on?
Indo-Australian Plate
Which layer is made of liquid metal?
Outer core
What is the theory that explains their movement?
Theory of Plate Tectonics
Name one type of boundary.
Convergent, divergent, or transform
What landform is made when plates move apart?
Mid-ocean ridges or rift valleys
Is Australia geologically active or stable?
Geologically stable
Which layer causes tectonic plates to move?
Mantle
What sits on top of the tectonic plates?
Continents and oceans
What happens at a convergent boundary?
Plates collide, forming mountains or volcanoes
What causes earthquakes?
Sudden movement of tectonic plates
Why doesn't Australia get many earthquakes?
It's not near a plate boundary
What is the thinnest layer?
Crust
Name a major tectonic plate.
Indo-Australian Plate OR Pacific Plate OR Eurasian Plate
What happens at a divergent boundary?
Plates move apart and new crust forms
What is a trench and how is it formed?
A deep ocean valley formed by subduction
How was Uluru formed?
Through erosion and uplift over millions of years
What happens to temperature and pressure as you go deeper into the Earth?
Both temperature and pressure increase
How do convection currents move plates?
Heat causes magma to rise and fall, pushing plates around
What happens at a transform boundary?
Plates slide past each other, causing earthquakes
How are volcanoes related to plate tectonics?
They form at plate boundaries or hotspots
What evidence shows Australia is moving?
GPS tracking shows it’s moving northeast about 7 cm per year