Plate Tectonics Revision

Revising the Plate Tectonics Unit
We have now come to the end of the Plate Tectonics Unit and its time to revise!
Here are some resources to help you.

Check list of key concepts to revise:

1. Structure of the Earth - what are the four main layers of the earth
2. Plates - named examples of plates and reasons for plate movements (convection currents)
3. Plate Boundaries - make sure you learn the four main types of plate boundaries. For each you need to be able to (i) describe movement of the plates (ii) explain what happens - processes and landforms created (iii) named example of each.
4. Distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes - be able to describe the distribution - linked to plate boundaries and examples (remember the anomaly for volcano distribution is the Hawaiian Islands in the middle of the Pacific Plate - due to hotspot activity)
5. Volcanoes - what are volcanoes? What are the key characteristics of a volcanoes structure?
6. Where do volcanoes occur? (be able to talk through what happens at a destructive and constructive plate boundary resulting in volcano formation)
7. Case Study of a Volcanic Eruption - Mount St Helens (Cascade Range, USA 1980) - learn causes, effects and responses (remember you must learn specific facts and figures and be able to show locational knowledge to get the highest marks)
8. Why do people continue to live near volcanoes? (be able to illustrate with examples)
9. What techniques are used to monitor and predict volcanic eruptions?
10. Earthquakes - theory of formation and key terms
11. Case Study of an Earthquake - San Francsico Earthquake - 1989 - again learn causes effects and responses (and as before you must learn specific facts and figures and be able to show specific locational knowledge to get the highest marks)
12. Why do some earthquakes cause more damage than others? - be able to compare MEDC / LEDC earthquakes (learn facts and figures for Bam 2003 earthquakes - to compare with 1989 San Francisco earthquake)
13. How can we monitor and prepare for earthquake activity?

Revision Resources:
- make good use of your class notes
- make use of blog posts to consolidate your understanding / recap concepts you are less sure of (to access previous posts - use blog archive list on the left hand side of the blog - Dec/Jan posts) - remember there are various links to animations etc. to help you.

Interactive Revision Quizzes:
You must learn your notes (particularly case study detail) but once you have revised from your notes there are some interactive revision quizzes etc. here for you to test yourself.
Plate Tectonics Glossary - Key word flash cards (definition then word)
Plate Tectonics Glossary Key word flash cards (word then definition)
Plate Tectonics Glossary - Key Word Test
Plate Tectonics Crossword Quiz
Tectonic Activity (Penalty Shoot out) - Hull Trinity House school
Yr 10 Plate Tectonics Revision (Penalty Shoot out)
Plate Tectonics Quick Quiz (Multiple Choice)

Plate Tectonics: An Introduction

Continental Drift and the Structure of the Earth

Image courtesy of USGS

Our next unit is the study of plate tectonics. In this unit we will be studying the forces of nature which have shaped our planet including the processes behind natural hazards such as earthquakes and volcanoes. We will also be considering the impact that such hazards have on people across the world. It is believed that out continents have not always been in their present configuration and that over millions of years our continents have changed their position (see animation). This theory is known as continental drift.

Millions of years ago there was one supercontinent called Pangea. Over time this has split into smaller continents which have gradually moved into the positions in which they exist today. There are various pieces of evidence for this including the apparent jigsaw fit between the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa.

In order to understand how this is possible we need to consider the structure of the earth.

The earth is up to 6,000km in radius from the inner core to the surface. It is made up of four main layers. The surface layer is known as the crust. This is the relatively thin layer on which we live and it consists of solid rock. The crust 'floats' on top of the mantle. The mantle has very high temperatures resulting in rock being in a 'molten' state. This 'molten' rock is known as magma and is able to move. At the centre of the earth is the core. This is divided into the outer and the inner core. The outer core is partly molten whilst the inner core is solid, this is due to the extreme temperature and pressures which exist here, with temperatures reaching up to 5,000 oC.

Follow up Links:
Some useful and clear animations showing the movement of the continents over millions of years in the process of continental drift can be found here:

- Continental Drift

- The 'fit of the continents' (evidence for continents having moved)

- Sea floor spreading showing the break up of Pangea

Check out this excellent site for more information about the structure of the earth and its layers. Further detail on the structure can be found here.

Key Terms Check:

Continental Drift - the theory that our continents have changed their postion over time
Crust - the outer layer of the earth (up to 75km thick)
Mantle - the middle and thickest layer of the earth part of which is semi-molten in nature
Outer Core - the outer layer of the core is semi-molten
Inner Core - central part of the earth which is solid due to extreme temperature and pressure
Magma - molten rock in the mantle