Plate Tectonics Theory and Mantle Convection Quiz

Earth Facts and Information

• Planet Earth is part of the universe, with the Sun and Moon affecting natural processes on Earth.

Layers of the Earth

• Crust: variable thickness and composition, continental (10-70km thick) and oceanic (8-10km thick)
• Mantle: 3488km thick, composed of peridotite (intrusive igneous)
• Core: 2883km radius, composed of Fe and Ni, with an inner core (1230km radius) and outer core (2250km thick)

Geosphere

• The Geosphere comprises the lithosphere (solid), hydrosphere (liquid, especially water), atmosphere (gas envelope), cryosphere (frozen ice), and biosphere (living organisms)
• Lithosphere: 100km thick (up to 200km thick beneath continents), very brittle, and easily fractures at low temperature
• Asthenosphere: 250km thick, solid rock, but soft and flows easily (ductile)
• Mesosphere: 2500km thick, solid rock, but still capable of flowing

Plate Tectonics

• Plate tectonics theory explains how the movement of plates gives rise to different events on the lithosphere
• Heated solid material rises from the lower mantle to the upper mantle, cools, and circles back downwards due to the temperature gradient (mantle convection)

Hydrosphere

• Water continually evaporates from surface waters, condenses, and forms precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, hail)
• Oceans function as temperature regulators, with a slower absorption and release of heat compared to land mass
• The largest ocean is the Pacific Ocean, with a surface area of about 155,557,000 km2

Atmosphere

• The greenhouse effect is the warming of the surface and lower atmosphere due to the absorption and reradiation of infrared radiation by gases like carbon dioxide and water vapor

Hazards and Risks

• Hazards are natural phenomena that can cause harm, while natural disasters are the consequences of these hazards
• Examples of natural hazards include earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis, and hurricanes
• The Philippines is prone to natural hazards, including earthquakes, typhoons, and volcanic eruptions

Test your knowledge on how plate movements lead to various geologic events and the process of mantle convection. The quiz covers the basics of plate tectonics theory and the mechanism of mantle convection in Earth's interior.