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Questions and Answers
What is the composition of the oceanic crust?
Which layer of the Earth is characterized by temperatures exceeding 3000ºC?
How thick is the continental crust on average?
What drives the movement of tectonic plates?
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What occurs when magma rises to the Earth's crust?
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What is a major consequence of plate movements?
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What type of plate boundary occurs when two plates are moving towards each other?
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Which of the following layers contains a layer of molten rock called magma?
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What is the average thickness of the oceanic crust?
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Which type of crust is thicker but less dense?
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What is the primary result of oceanic-oceanic convergent plate movements?
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Which layer allows tectonic plates to move due to its semi-fluid nature?
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What occurs at a divergent plate boundary?
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Which of the following is NOT a result of a convergent plate boundary?
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When two continental plates slide past each other, what typically occurs?
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Which type of tectonic movement is characterized by plates sliding apart?
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What is formed at an oceanic-oceanic divergent plate boundary?
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What process allows the rising convection current to produce a mid-ocean ridge?
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Which force contributes to pushing older rocks away from the spreading center in an oceanic-oceanic divergent plate boundary?
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What occurs when the fissure opens in an oceanic-oceanic divergent plate boundary?
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What type of earthquakes are typically associated with oceanic-oceanic divergent plate boundaries?
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Which plates are involved in an oceanic-oceanic divergent plate boundary?
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What is the initial result of the tension that occurs at an oceanic-oceanic divergent plate boundary?
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Which of the following best describes what happens to the new basaltic magma at a divergent plate boundary?
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What process causes the oceanic plate to descend beneath the continental plate at a continental-oceanic convergent plate boundary?
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What geological feature is formed where the oceanic plate dips into the asthenosphere?
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What happens to the magma produced at the tip of the subducting oceanic plate?
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What natural phenomenon occurs as a result of the movement of the subducting plate?
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What occurs during the buildup of pressure in the magma chamber at a continental-oceanic convergent boundary?
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What economic benefit does fertile soil provide?
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Which mineral mentioned provides employment through mining?
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What is one of the uses of geothermal energy?
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What is one primary effect of a volcanic eruption?
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What is a tourist attraction associated with volcanic landscapes?
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What happens to agricultural crops during a volcanic eruption?
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What is a social aspect of living in areas affected by volcanoes?
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What negative impact can primary volcanic activity have on the economy?
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Study Notes
Tectonic Plates
- Significant tectonic plates include Arabian, Caribbean, Cocos, Eurasian, Indo-Australian, Juan de Fuca, Nazca, North American, South American, Philippine, Pacific, Scotia, and Okhotsk plates.
- Plates are primarily categorized based on their locations and interactions, influencing geological activity on Earth.
Continents and Oceans
- Major oceans: Atlantic, Arctic, Pacific, Southern, and Indian.
- Continents include: South America, North America, Asia, Europe, Australia and Oceania, Antarctica, and Africa.
Plate Boundaries
- Plate boundaries can be classified as convergent, divergent, and transform, each characterized by specific geological interactions.
Oceanic-Oceanic Divergent Plate Boundary
- Two oceanic plates move apart, allowing magma to rise, creating mid-ocean ridges.
- Tensional forces stretch the lithosphere, forming deep fissures known as spreading centers, driving seafloor spreading.
- Newly formed basaltic magma cools, solidifying to create new ocean floor; younger seafloor pushes older rocks away (ridge push force).
- Often associated with shallow earthquakes as magma ascends through crustal fractures, forming undersea volcanoes.
Structure of the Earth
- Lithosphere: Comprises the crust and the uppermost mantle, solid and rigid.
- Asthenosphere: A semi-fluid layer beneath the lithosphere, enabling plate movement.
- Continental Crust: Thicker and less dense, forming continents.
- Oceanic Crust: Thinner but denser, constituting ocean floors.
Convergent Plate Boundaries
- Plates move toward each other, leading to subduction, resulting in oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and fold mountains.
- Types of convergent movements:
- Continental-Continental: Forms mountain ranges.
- Oceanic-Oceanic: One oceanic plate subducts, forming trenches and volcanic islands.
- Oceanic-Continental: Oceanic plate subducts under continental plate, forming subduction zones.
Divergent Plate Boundaries
- Plates move away from each other, allowing magma to rise:
- Oceanic-Oceanic: Creates mid-ocean ridges.
- Continental-Continental: Forms rift valleys.
Transform Plate Boundaries
- Plates slide past each other horizontally, resulting in faults and earthquakes.
- The denser plate sinks beneath the less dense counterpart.
Earth's Internal Structure
- Crust: Thin layer with variable thickness; consists of solid rock.
- Upper/Lower Mantle: Mixture of solid and semi-molten rocks, reaching temperatures of 1400 to 3000°C.
- Outer Core: Molten iron and nickel, temperatures ranging from 3000 to 5000°C.
- Inner Core: Solid, primarily composed of iron and nickel alloys.
Plate Tectonics Theory
- Asserts that Earth's surface is in constant motion due to mantle convection, primarily driven by heat from the core.
- Movement creates significant geological features, including mountains and volcanoes and can result in earthquakes.
Convection Currents in the Mantle
- Magma heated by the core rises due to lower density.
- It spreads out, moving attached tectonic plates, driving geological processes.
Volcanic Activity and Economic Impacts
- Formation of fertile soils through weathered lava supports agriculture, contributing to food security.
- Mining of minerals, like sulfur, creates job opportunities and revenue.
- Tourism boosts local economies, with landscape features attracting visitors.
- Geothermal energy harnessed for various uses, supporting industrial development and providing renewable resources.
Impacts of Volcanic Eruptions
- Primary effects include destruction from pyroclastic flows and lahars, leading to loss of life and damage to infrastructure.
- Eruptions can devastate agricultural industries, causing unemployment.
- Infrastructure destruction hampers economic activities and communication systems.
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Description
Test your knowledge on various geological plates and their relationship with continents and oceans. This quiz covers plates such as the North American Plate, Pacific Plate, and explores the major oceans including the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. Discover how these elements shape our Earth's geography.
