22 Questions
What is the thickness of tectonic plates?
50-100 km
What is the driving force behind the movement of tectonic plates?
Convection currents in the mantle
What type of plate boundary is characterized by plates moving apart?
Divergent
What is the result of the process of subduction?
Destruction of crust
What is the result of the process of sea-floor spreading?
Creation of oceanic crust
What is the term for the interaction between two continental plates resulting in mountain formation?
Continental collision
What is the term for volcanic activity at fixed points, creating island chains?
Hotspots
What is the role of tectonic plates in shaping the Earth's surface?
Forming mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes
What is the significance of tectonic plates in understanding the Earth's internal dynamics?
They are essential for understanding geological history and the Earth's internal dynamics
At convergent boundaries, two plates move apart from each other.
False
The San Andreas Fault in California is an example of a divergent boundary.
False
Earthquakes are common at plate boundaries.
True
Seafloor spreading is a characteristic of convergent boundaries.
False
Transform boundaries are characterized by the creation of new crust.
False
The Andean mountain building is an example of a divergent boundary.
False
Plate boundaries can be only a few kilometers wide.
False
At divergent boundaries, new ______ is created as magma rises to fill the gap.
crust
At convergent boundaries, one plate can be forced under another, a process known as ______.
subduction
The Mid-Atlantic Ridge is an example of a ______ boundary.
divergent
The Himalayan orogeny is an example of a ______ boundary.
convergent
At transform boundaries, two plates ______ past each other horizontally.
slide
Mountain building occurs at ______ boundaries where plates collide and crumple.
convergent
Study Notes
What are Tectonic Plates?
- Large, rigid slabs of the Earth's lithosphere (outer layer)
- Fit together like a jigsaw puzzle
- In constant motion, sliding over the more fluid asthenosphere (upper mantle)
Characteristics of Tectonic Plates
- Thickness: 50-100 km
- Composition: oceanic crust, continental crust, or a combination of both
- Boundaries: where plates meet and interact
- Movement: 2-10 cm/year, driven by convection currents in the mantle
Types of Plate Boundaries
-
Divergent: plates move apart, new crust forms
- Examples: Mid-Atlantic Ridge, East African Rift System
-
Convergent: plates collide, crust is destroyed or deformed
- Examples: Himalayan orogeny, Andean mountain building
-
Transform: plates slide past each other horizontally
- Examples: San Andreas Fault, North Anatolian Fault
Plate Interaction and Processes
- Subduction: denser plate is forced beneath another plate
- Continental collision: two continental plates collide, forming mountains
- Sea-floor spreading: new oceanic crust is created at mid-ocean ridges
- Hotspots: volcanic activity at fixed points, creating island chains (e.g., Hawaiian Islands)
Importance of Tectonic Plates
- Shape the Earth's surface, creating mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes
- Influence climate, ocean currents, and the formation of natural resources
- Essential for understanding geological history and the Earth's internal dynamics
Learn about the characteristics, types, and interactions of tectonic plates, including divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries. Understand the processes of subduction, continental collision, sea-floor spreading, and hotspots.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
