Study Geography notes on The Restless Earth for Secondary. Useful for revision, homework, and exam preparation in Zimbabwe.
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GCSE Geographyl Topic 5|The Restless Earth What are the Key Ideas for this Topic? - Tectonic Plates - Fold Mountains - Types of Volcano and Super Volcanoes - Earthquakes and their effects: LEDC's VS MEDC's - Tsunamis: Causes, effects and responses Tectonic Plates Tectonic Plate- a huge section of the Earth's crust Convection Current- a current caused by movement by CONVECTION of warmer fluid into an area of cooler fluid. Structure of the Earth There are TWO main types of plates: Continental Plate: (e.g. Eurasian Plate) - Thick and less dense than Oceanic Plates - Mostly Made of Granite - They are those Situated underneath bodies of land (Continents) - Very Old- 1,500 million years old Oceanic Plates: (e.g. Pacific Plate) - Thinner and more dense than Continental plates - Mostly made of Basalt - Flat and are situated under large bodies of water e.g. Pacific Ocean - Younger than Continental Plates- 200 Million years old What Causes Tectonic Movement? Tectonic movement is caused by Convection currents: - The radioactive decay that is happening in the core heats up the mantle which rises as it is less dense. - The semi-molten rock spreads out and carries the plate above with it. - This sideways motion moves the Crust's Plates. - After movement, the mantle cools and sinks back down to be reheated in the core. Convection Currents in the Mantle The Three Different types of Plate Boundary: - The point at which plates meet is known as a Plate Boundary - There are THREE Types of Plate Boundaries: