Plate Tectonics and Earth's Surface Features
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Questions and Answers

What is formed approximately 200 kilometers behind a trench at convergent boundaries?

  • Volcanic arcs (correct)
  • Oceanic ridges
  • Subduction zones
  • Fracture zones

What type of plate boundary is characterized by compressional stresses?

  • Passive boundary
  • Convergent boundary (correct)
  • Divergent boundary
  • Transform boundary

Where do the majority of earthquakes tend to occur in relation to trenches?

  • At the surface level
  • In oceanic ridges
  • At some depth below the surface (correct)
  • On the ocean floor

What term is used for volcanic islands formed parallel to a trench in oceanic/oceanic subduction?

<p>Island arcs (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the characteristic height of the ridge compared to the surrounding sea floor?

<p>It is typically more than a thousand meters higher. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does the age of the ocean floor change relative to the divergent boundary?

<p>The ocean floor gets progressively older moving away from the divergent boundary. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What feature is formed as the continental crust thins and breaks apart?

<p>Rift valley. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which ocean's formation is associated with the break-up of the supercontinent Pangaea?

<p>Atlantic Ocean. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of plate boundary is represented by the San Andreas fault system?

<p>Transform boundary (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What significant event occurred in San Francisco as a result of the 1906 earthquake?

<p>A fire that destroyed large sections of the city (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What minimum vertical acceleration must new structures typically withstand?

<p>0.5g (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What factor can exaggerate the effects of earthquake shaking?

<p>Underlying geology and sediment (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of soil is likely to amplify ground shaking during an earthquake?

<p>sandy or silty soils (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What typically happens when ground motion matches a building's natural resonance?

<p>Maximum damage occurs (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the location where an earthquake's energy is first released?

<p>Focus (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What type of waves are generated when body waves reach the Earth's surface?

<p>Surface waves (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What causes a fault to slip and generate an earthquake?

<p>Built-up stress overcoming friction (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term for the point on the Earth's surface directly above an earthquake's focus?

<p>Epicenter (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between primary waves (P waves) and secondary waves (S waves)?

<p>P waves can travel through solids, liquids, and gases, while S waves can only travel through solids. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of seismographs in earthquake studies?

<p>To measure ground motion and record the intensity of earthquakes. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the significance of surface waves during an earthquake?

<p>They typically cause the greatest amount of damage to buildings. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What characteristic of building foundations can help minimize earthquake damage?

<p>Finding stable ground to build upon. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a likely consequence of a megathrust earthquake in the Pacific Northwest?

<p>Severe ground shaking lasting over six minutes (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are the three types of earthquakes discussed in the Pacific Northwest?

<p>Cascadia megathrust, deep earthquakes, and shallow crustal fault earthquakes (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What geological phenomenon contributes to the occurrence of earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest?

<p>Subduction of tectonic plates (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How often do magnitude 8 to 9 great earthquakes rupture the subduction zone on average?

<p>Every 300 to 500 years (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Convergent Boundary

A boundary where two tectonic plates move towards each other, resulting in one plate sliding beneath the other. This process is called subduction.

Trench

A deep, narrow depression in the ocean floor, formed at the boundary between two converging plates.

Subduction

The process where one tectonic plate slides beneath another, consuming the oceanic lithosphere and causing volcanic activity.

Volcanic Arc

A chain of volcanoes formed parallel to a trench, caused by the subduction of oceanic lithosphere beneath a continental plate.

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Island Arc

A chain of islands formed parallel to a trench, caused by the subduction of oceanic lithosphere beneath another oceanic plate.

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Oceanic Ridge

A long, elevated feature found on the ocean floor, typically more than 1000 meters higher compared to the surrounding sea floor.

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Divergent Plate Boundary

The process where Earth's tectonic plates move apart, creating new oceanic crust.

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Oceanic Lithosphere Formation

The youngest oceanic crust is found at divergent plate boundaries, where new crust is constantly being formed through volcanic activity.

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Rift Valley

A depression in the Earth's crust formed by plate separation, often marked by volcanoes and lava flows.

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Initial Stretching and Thinning

A region where the Earth's crust is being stretched and thinned, initiating the process of continental breakup.

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Fault Scarps

Steps in the land surface created by faults that cut across the landscape.

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Alignment of Fault Scarps

Features aligned perpendicular to the direction of crustal stretching, signifying the forces acting on the continental crust.

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1g

The force of gravity.

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Resonance

The natural frequency at which a structure vibrates.

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Epicenter

The point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.

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Ground Shaking

The shaking of the ground during an earthquake.

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Severity of Shaking

The strength or intensity of shaking at a specific location.

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Geology

The study of the earth's physical structure and processes.

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Focus

The point underground where an earthquake originates.

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Fault

A geological fault where rocks move past each other.

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Amplification of Ground Shaking

The process where vibrations are amplified by weakening materials like muddy soils.

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What are Earth's plates?

Rigid slabs of rock that move over the Earth's surface.

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What are transform plate boundaries?

Plate boundaries where plates slide horizontally past each other.

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What is the San Andreas fault system?

A prominent example of a transform plate boundary located in California. It marks the boundary between the Pacific Plate and the North American Plate.

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How is the San Andreas fault system affecting cities?

The movement of plates along the San Andreas fault system causes Los Angeles to slowly move northward relative to San Francisco.

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What are potential dangers associated with transform plate boundaries?

Large-scale movements along the San Andreas fault system can cause earthquakes.

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What evidence supports the impact of transform plate boundaries?

The San Andreas fault system has caused three major earthquakes in the past 400 years, the most recent being in 1906, which devastated San Francisco.

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What are the implications of transform plate boundaries for human populations?

The San Andreas fault system represents a significant source of potential seismic hazards, posing a risk to densely populated areas.

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What is the significance of the San Andreas fault system?

The location of the San Andreas fault system underscores the dynamic nature of Earth's tectonic plates and their impact on human settlements.

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Elastic Rebound

The elastic deformation of rocks due to stress buildup before an earthquake.

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Body Waves

Waves of energy that travel through the Earth's interior during an earthquake.

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Earthquake Focus

The point underground where an earthquake originates.

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Primary Waves (P-waves)

The fastest body waves that arrive first at seismograph stations.

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Secondary Waves (S-waves)

Slower body waves that arrive second at seismograph stations, they cause the ground to move side to side.

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Surface Waves

Surface waves that cause the greatest damage during earthquakes. They travel along the Earth's surface and make the ground move up and down and side to side.

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Deep Earthquakes

A deep earthquake occurring within the subducting plate that is deeper than the subduction zone plate boundary, often causing powerful ground shaking.

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Megathrust Earthquake

A large, powerful earthquake that occurs along the subduction zone, where one tectonic plate slides beneath another.

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Strike-Slip Fault

A type of fault where rocks move horizontally past each other, often causing earthquakes.

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Thrust Fault

A type of fault where rocks move vertically, one block moving up relative to the other, causing a large upward shift in land.

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Seattle Fault Zone

A zone of significant seismic activity in the Puget Sound region, capable of producing major earthquakes and causing extensive damage.

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Cascadia Megathrust Earthquake

A massive earthquake occurring along a subduction zone, where one tectonic plate slides beneath another. These earthquakes can reach magnitudes of 9 or higher and often generate devastating tsunamis.

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Shallow Crustal Fault Earthquakes

Earthquakes occurring closer to the Earth's surface, along shallow faults in the crust. These quakes can be powerful, with magnitudes reaching up to 7.5.

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Subduction Zone

The process where one tectonic plate slides beneath another, consuming the oceanic lithosphere. This process is responsible for generating various types of earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest.

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Basin-Range Extension

A geological formation where the Earth's crust is being pulled apart, resulting in stretching and thinning of the land. This process is involved in the formation of shallow crustal fault earthquakes.

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Study Notes

Plate Tectonics and Earth's Surface Features

  • Earth's surface features, like ocean floors and mountain ranges, are explained by plate tectonics.
  • Plate tectonics models must explain the distribution of these patterns.
  • Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions are key processes.
  • Elevation/topography is represented in brown colors by darker shades highlighting higher elevations.
  • Darker shades of blue indicate deeper ocean basins, with lighter hues showing shallower conditions.
  • A wide oceanic ridge system runs through the ocean basins. These ridges sit approximately 2.5 kilometers (8000 ft) below sea level.
  • Island chains are submarine volcanoes that grow tall enough to appear above sea level.
  • The Hawaiian Islands are a famous example of these volcanic island chains.
  • Ocean trenches are the deepest parts of the oceans, often found along the borders of some ocean basins.
  • The Mariana Trench is the deepest, reaching 11 kilometers (36,000 ft).
  • Island arcs are chains of islands that form curved lines on Earth's surface, they are particularly common in the western Pacific, often associated with trenches.
  • Oceanic margins often lacking trenches feature shallow continental shelves that descend into the ocean basins.
  • Ocean trenches are often along the margins of some ocean basins. Trenches include those along the western edge of the South American continent.
  • Transform boundaries are also associated with oceanic ridges and/or found alongside convergent boundaries.

Earthquakes and Volcanic Eruptions

  • Earthquakes are often concentrated near features like trenches and island arcs.
  • Volcanic eruptions are usually clustered around the same features/locations.
  • The distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes in the past 10,000 years correlates with previously mentioned features.
  • Earthquakes occur at various depths, especially near trenches, and progressively deeper as the plate descends.
  • Shaking can cause landslides.
  • Shaking can cause liquefaction.
  • Shaking can lead to collapse of buildings and other structures.
  • Shaking can cause roads/structures to be destroyed by shifting or shifting off foundations.

Tectonic Plates

  • The Earth's crust and upper mantle form rigid plates.
  • These plates move on a more fluid layer called the asthenosphere.
  • A variety of plates include, but are not limited to, Pacific, North American, South American, Eurasian, Indian-Australian, Nazca, Cocos, Caribbean, Scotia, and the Arabian plate. Plates are named based on major geographical features.
  • Plate boundaries are zones of tectonic activity (e.g., earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mountain building)
  • Different types of plate boundaries (divergent, convergent, and transform) exhibit various characteristics.
  • The sizes/shapes of plates vary; some plates (like the Scotia plate) are relatively small.
  • Some plates are large but consist of a sliver of a continent (i.e., the Pacific Plate which has sections of the North American continent).

Convergent Plate Boundaries

  • Features include: subduction (one plate descending into the mantle beneath another), volcanic arcs and island arcs, trenches.
  • Oceanic lithosphere is consumed beneath continental plates.
  • Continental lithosphere and oceanic lithosphere can collide.
  • The resulting collision results in mountains (e.g., Himalayas).
  • Magma rising to form island arcs, rather than volcanic arcs, is characteristic of some convergent plate boundaries.
  • Convergent boundaries have wider zones of earthquake activity, with deeper earthquake foci as the plate descends.

Divergent Plate Boundaries

  • Plates move apart.
  • Ocean basins are formed.
  • Features include: oceanic ridges, earthquakes, and volcanic activity.
  • Rift valleys are a common feature.

Transform Plate Boundaries

  • Plates slide past each other.
  • Features include: earthquakes, and offset segments of ridges.
  • An example is the San Andreas Fault, which connects to oceanic ridges and has segments in North America.
  • Transform boundaries can have a significant impact on populated areas, including large earthquakes. (e.g., San Francisco earthquake in 1906, Haiti earthquake in 2010).

Earthquake Hazards

  • Earthquakes produce shaking, ground failure, and other hazards, like landslides, tsunamis, and liquefaction.
  • These hazards have significant impacts on structures and populations.
  • The severity of shaking depends on factors like ground material, building design, and distance from the epicenter.
  • The severity of shaking can be amplified by factors like the type of material and topography in an area.
  • Structures and buildings, particularly those built on weaker materials, can be prone to damage from earthquakes.
  • The type of earthquake and resulting shaking can vary based on the location of the epicenter or fault (i.e., deep or shallow).

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Description

Explore how plate tectonics shape Earth's surface features, including ocean floors and mountain ranges. This quiz covers key concepts such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and the characteristics of ocean trenches and ridges. Test your understanding of the processes that create the terrains we see today.

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