Plate Tectonic Theory
What is Fixism?
The idea that Earth's continents have been in the same location since Earth first formed.
What term is defined as a deep valley in the ocean floor?
trenches
What is mantle convection?
A type of current in the mantle where cooler, denser material sinks, and warmer less dense material rises.
What are three examples of geohazards?
Volcano Eruption, landslide, tsunami
What are the three types of faults?
Reverse
Normal
Strike-Slip
What was pangaea? Which theory corresponds to its existence?
Pangaea was a supercontinent hypothesized by theorists that conclude that it no longer exists due to continental drift.
Give an example of a geological formation that results from a convergent plate boundary.
Mountain Ranges
What impact do the currents created by mantle convection have on earth's tectonic plates?
They are party responsible for tectonic plate movement.
List three key things you should keep in an emergency kit in preparation for a geohazard?
Clean drinking water, non perishable food, and a radio.
Explain P-waves in detail & what is P-wave an abbreviation for?
Primary Waves:
Move the fastest
Are the first detected in an earthquake
Effect on Rock Particles:
Cause rock particles to move forward and backward
Where they travel:
Can travel through both solids and liquids
What causes continental drift to happen?
seafloor spreading
What geological formation often is created at a divergent plate boundary?
Volcano
Explain the process of ridge push and slab pull.
Ridge push = when new material at mid-ocean ridges pushes older material aside causing tectonic plates to move apart.
Slab pull = The pulling of a tectonic plate due to gravity and subduction.
Explain the different between the epicentre of an earthquake and the focus.
1) The epicentre of an earthquake is the point on Earth’s surface where the seismic waves travel outward from.
2) The focus of an earthquake is the point beneath the Earth’s surface where the earthquake starts.
What instrument is used, how does it work, and what is it used to measure about an earthquake? What measurement system does it use?
A Seismograph measures and records ground vibration. It is used to measure the MAGNITUDE of an earthquake using the Richter Scale.
What are the different types of tectonic plate boundaries?
1) Convergent
2) Divergent
3) Transform
What are tectonic plates?
A part of the crust and uppermost mantle that moves over Earth’s surface. Seismic activity occurs at the boundaries of these plates.
Explain what happens underneath the oceanic crust and on the ocean floor during seafloor spreading.
1) Seafloor spreading often occurs at divergent plate boundary
2) Magma rises from the lithosphere and passes through the oceanic crust then becoming lava.
3) As the lava cools it forms new oceanic crust.
4) the newly formed oceanic crust pushes the older pre-existing oceanic crust aside.
5) This causes the seafloor to spread and continental drift to occur.
How do plate tectonics explain the Earth's geological processes?
The geology of different parts of the world have a powerful impact on the topography and the characteristics of each region.
What is the definition of a volcano? What type of continental plate boundary do volcanic eruptions tend to occur at, and what are the places within the mantle where rocks melt to generate magma called?
A volcano is: An opening in Earth’s surface where magma and other materials are released.
Plate Boundary: CONVERGENT
Places within the mantle where rocks melt and generate magma = HOT SPOTS
List all the layers of Earth from youngest to oldest.
-Oceanic crust
-continental crust
-Lithosphere
-Asthenosphere
-Mantle
-Outer Core
-Inner Core
Name three world famous geological formations in Canada.
The Rocky Mountains
Niagara Falls
Hudson Bay
Explain the detailed process (including all related terms) of continental drift.
Continental Drift = Mantle Convection + Seafloor Spreading + Ridge Push
Hot mantle rock rises from the core and moves along under the crust
The mantle rock grows cool and heavy and sinks back down again, creating a current (aka. Mantle Convection)
Some of the tectonic plates are moving faster than the currents underneath, so there is more contributing to the process of continental drift than simply mantle convection.
The oceanic crust is the hypothetical “conveyor belt at baggage claim” that moves the continental crust.
Plate divergence allows magma to escape the mantle, becoming lava, creating new oceanic crust, pushing the continents in the direction that the new oceanic crust is formed (AKA. SEAFLOOR SPREADING).
Define Geohazard: How do we use our knowledge of geological processes?
Understanding geohazards = a destructive event that results from geological processes. Give an example.
Helps us know how to stay safe within the geological regions we live. For example, if you live in a place like LA which is prone to earthquakes, it would be safer if you understood and prepared yourself and your family for earthquakes.
Name 2 different cultural legends about the origin of earthquakes.
Answers will vary.