Lithosphere and Plate Movement Quiz

Lithosphere and Plate Movement

• The lithosphere is divided into several plates (lithospheric plates)
• These plates move slowly, a few millimeters per year, due to molten magma movement within the Earth
• The movement of these plates causes changes on Earth's surface
• Endogenic forces originate inside the Earth, causing sudden and slow movements
• Exogenic forces act on Earth's surface, altering landforms

Endogenic Forces

• Include earthquakes and volcanoes
• Earthquakes are vibrations caused by movement within the Earth's crust (focus)
• The epicenter is the point on the surface directly above the focus
• Earthquakes are measured on the Richter scale
• Volcanoes are vents through which molten material erupts

Exogenic Forces

• Include weathering, erosion, and deposition caused by water, wind, and ice
• Water erodes landforms (e.g. waterfalls, meanders, floodplains)
• Ice erodes landforms (e.g. glacial moraines, lakes)
• Wind erodes and deposits materials (e.g. sand dunes, loess)
• Sea waves cause erosion and deposit sediments (e.g. sea caves, stacks, arches, beaches)

Landforms

• Landforms are the shapes of Earth's surface created by various forces (endogenic, exogenic)
• Earthquakes and volcanoes create sudden and dramatic changes
• Rivers, glaciers, seas, and wind create gradual changes over time
• Examples include sand dunes, floodplains, valleys, mountains, and waterfalls

Activities & Observations

• Observations of coloured paper pellets in water demonstrating heat transfer and currents can indicate convection
• Experiments using water, containers, and objects can be used to simulate earthquakes and other processes and illustrate physical concepts