Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

GEOGRAPHY key terms > Tectonics > Flashcards

Tectonics Flashcards

(50 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

ASH

A

The powdery residue left after the burning of a substance e.g. rock

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

ASTHENOSHPERE

A

The upper part of the mantle on which the plates float

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

BENIOFF ZONE

A

Where an oceanic plate is subducted by a continental plate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

COLLISION PLATE MARGIN

A

Where two continental plates meet and collide to form fold mountains e.g. Himalayas.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

CONVERGENT PLATE MARGIN

A

Continental/oceanic
Oceanic subducted forming oceanic trenches and volcanoes
Oceanic/oceanic
Faster plate subducted to form ocean trench and often island arcs

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

COMPOSITE CONE VOLCANO

A

Steep sided volcano formed of alternating layers of ash and lava, typically ejects andesitic or rhyolitic lava from the crater.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

CONSERVATIVE PLATE MARGIN

A

Transform margin where two plates move side by side in opposing or similar directions often resulting in a locked fault which can have strong earthquakes.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

DIVERGENT PLATE MARGIN

A

Typically two oceanic plates move away from each other allowing new amaga to cool and form new land, can also create mid oceanic ridges.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

CRUSTAL FRACTURING

A

Where two plates collide causing the crust to fracture, can often cause a large fault to extend towards the centre of a plate.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

EARTHQUAKE SEISMIC WAVES

A

Energy released in the form of P,S and L waves from the hypocentre of an earthquake.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

ELASTIC ENERGY

A

When a plate is subducted it’s original shape is warped, eventually the elastic energy of the plate exceeds the strength of the plate above it causing is to ‘flip’ up.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

EPICENTRE

A

The place on the surface of the earth directly above the hypocentre, this area has the shortest focal length possible.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

FOCAL DEPTH

A

The distance from the hypocentre to the surface, often measured multiple times in relations to the nearest population cluster.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

HOT SPOT VOLCANO

A

A magma plume heated by the radioactive core rises to the rust where it finds a fault in the centre of a plate causing a chain of volcanic islands to form (Atoll)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

HYDROMETEOROLOGICAL HAZARDS

A

Hazards caused by meteorological changes in atmospheric pressure e.g. hurricanes, floods, droughts.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

HYPOCENTRE

A

The exact point where pressure exceeds strength of a plate causing an area. This is where seismic waves are released from.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

INTENSITY

A

The relative damage or energy released by a hazard measured on a scale e.g. MMS VEI

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

INTRAPLATE

A

A crack or fault that extends into the centre of a plate away from the boundary. Can also be an ancient fault line that is reactivated.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

JOKULHLAUPS

A

An Icelandic term for glacial outbursts or floods caused by the destruction of a natural dam e.g. glacial dams being melted by volcanic activity

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

LAHAR

A

Saturated soil infused with tephra (ash) forming a series of mudslides, usually down a composite volcano slope resembling a landslide.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

LANDSLIDE

Study These Flashcards
A

Antecedent conditions can make a cliffside unstable, then when an earthquake takes place soil liquefaction can cause large amounts of mountain/ cliffside to shift downwards.

22
Q

LAVA FLOWS

Study These Flashcards
A

The streams and channels formed by low viscosity lava e.g. basaltic lava

23
Q

LIQUEFACTION

Study These Flashcards
A

When moist soil is shaken violently (by an earthquake) land subsidence can take place as loosely packed soil forms pores where water can rise as water pressure decreases.

24
Q

LITHOSPHERE

Study These Flashcards
A

The rigid outer layer of the earth including the plates and upper mantle

25
LOCKED FAULT
Where two parts of a plate meet and cannot move past each other due to intense friction.
26
LONGITUDINAL WAVES (love waves)
Waves that travel along the surface of the crust causing horizontal movement of land with a damaging long wavelength
27
MAGNITUDE
The strength of an event e.g. earthquake
28
MANTLE CONVECTION
The continuous heating and cooling of the mantle causing circular movements which contribute to slab pull which moves the plates around the earth.
29
MANTLE PLUMES
Parts of the mantle that are heated more than usual by the radioactive core which rise up t the surface and can cause the formation of oceanic hotspot volcanic islands in the centre of a plate known as an Atoll
30
MERCALLI SCALE
A subjective scale formerly used to measure the intensity of an earthquake but had been replaced by the MMS scale
31
MITIGATION
The attempts to reduce the severity of a hazard e.g. sea walls to slow tsunamis or evacuations
32
MOMENT MAGNITUDE SCALE
The most effective measure of the intensity of an earthquake focusing on the amount of energy released from the hypocentre
33
MULTIPLE HAZARD ZONE
An area that is at risk of experiencing multiple hazards e.g. Japan can have typhoons and tsunamis
34
NATURAL HAZARD
A hazard caused by an natural event that we cannot prevent and have no influence on e.g. earthquake
35
P WAVES
Caused by compressions in the direction if travel and have a weak side to side movement and arrive first
36
PALEOMAGNETISM
The earths ability to switch its magnetic poles
37
PYROCLASTIC FLOW
In the case of a composite volcano parts of an ash cloud can quickly descend down the steep mountain sides at speeds of 600km/h and are very hot e.g. Pompeii
38
RAPID ONSET
Hazards that arise quickly and cannot be predicted far in advance e.g. earthquakes
39
RISK
How vulnerable an area is to a hazard, based on a range of social economic and environmental factors.
40
S WAVES
Up and down movement of solid materials and operate at 60% of the speed that P waves do
41
SEA FLOOR SPREADING
When a divergent plate margin occurs between two oceanic plates forming a mid oceanic ridge e.g. mid Atlantic ridge
42
SLAB PULL
Friction of the plates with the mantle convection currents means that plates are pulled around the surface of the earth
43
SLOW ONSET
A hazard that takes a long time to develop and can be predicted in advance e.g. hurricanes and be tracked
44
SPEED OF ONSET
How quickly a hazard takes to have an effect since it was predicted or noticed. Can have a large impact on severity
45
SUBDUCTION
Where a faster denser plate is pushed underneath another plate
46
TECTONIC STRAIN
The pressure forced onto a plate which can cause earthquakes if the pressure is released quickly
47
TSUNAMI
“ harbour wave” in Japanese meaning a large wave caused by tectonic upthrust which displaces a large column of water
48
VOLCANIC EXPLOSIVITY INDEX
Measure of the potential danger of an earthquake. Logorithmic scale in which the largest volcano so far is Yellowstone with a value of 8 it is open ended
49
VULNERABILITY
How at risk a population are to a hazard based on a range of social,economic and environmental factors
50
WATER COLUMN DISPLACEMENT
Undersea earthquakes can cause this to happen by a sudden upwards jolt resulting is a tsunami

GEOGRAPHY key terms (3 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions