The Restless Earth: Tectonic Plates Flashcards Preview

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Flashcards in The Restless Earth: Tectonic Plates Deck (27)
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1
Q

The EARTH’S surface is separated into what?

A

Tectonic plates.

2
Q

What is at the CENTRE of the Earth?

A

Core.

3
Q

What is the CORE made up of?

A

Solid iron.

Nickel.

4
Q

What is AROUND the core?

A

The mantle.

5
Q

What is the mantle made up of?

A

Semi-molten rock.

6
Q

How does the mantle MOVE?

A

Very slowly.

7
Q

What is the outer layer of the Earth called?

A

The crust

8
Q

The crust is very…

A

Thin.

20km wide.

9
Q

What is the crust divided into to?

A

Lots of slabs called tectonic plates.

10
Q

Where do the TECTONIC PLATES float?

A

On top of the mantle.

11
Q

What two types of crust are the PLATES made up of?

A

Continental.

Oceanic.

12
Q

Continental crust is…

A

Thicker.

Less dense.

13
Q

Oceanic crust is…

A

Thinner.

More dense.

14
Q

Why are the plates MOVING?

A

Rock in the mantle underneath them is moving.

15
Q

What are the places called where PLATES meet?

A

Boundaries.

Plate margins.

16
Q

What are the 3 types of PLATE BOUNDARIES?

A

Destructive plate boundary.
Conservative plate boundary.
Constructive plate boundary.

17
Q

What happens to the plates at a destructive plate boundary?

A

Two plates are moving towards each other.
Continental plates meet.
Smash together.
No crust is destroyed.

18
Q

Give an example of a DESTRUCTIVE plate margin?

A

Along the east coast of Japan.

19
Q

What is a destructive plate boundary?

A

Oceanic plate meets a continental plate.

Denser oceanic plate is forced down into the mantle and destroyed.

20
Q

What can a destructive plate boundary create?

A

Volcanoes.

Ocean trenches.

21
Q

What is an OCEAN TRENCH?

A

Very deep section of the ocean floor where the oceanic plate goes down.

22
Q

What happens to the PLATES at a constructive plate boundary?

A

Plates move away from each other.

23
Q

Give an example of where two plates move away from each other

A

At the mid-Atlantic ridge.

24
Q

What happens at a constructive plate boundary?

A

Magma rises from the mantle to fill the gap.

Cools creating new crust.

25
Q

What happens to the PLATES at a conservative plate boundary?

A

Two plates move sideways past each other.
Or
Move in the same direction but at different speeds.

26
Q

Give an example where two plates move sideways past each other

A

Along the west coast of the USA.

27
Q

Crust isn’t _______ or __________ at a conservative plate margin?

A

Created or destroyed.

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