APES Unit 4

lithosphere

crust

asthenosphere

upper mantle

mesophere

lower mantle

convergent plate boundary

plates push toward each other

covergent plate boundary examples

volcanoes, release magma, earthquakes

divergent plate boundary

plates push away from each other

divergent plate boundary examples

ridges, volcanoes, can cause sea flor spreading, cause earthquakes less frquently

transform or strike/slip plate boundary

plates push/ slide past each other

transform or strike/slip plate boundary

no ridges or volcanoes, shallow earthquakes (frequent)

Do plate boundaries vary globally?

Yes

Do plates move in different directions.

Yes, they move in all directions.

Can plates have different plate boundaries?

Yes, they can have all 3 different plate boundaries. Divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries.

Continental plate density

They are less dense, so it “floats” higher.

Different plates can lead to several formations such as

volcanoes, island arcs, earthquakes, hot spots and faults

What do plates live on?

the asthenosphere

Where do earthquakes occur?

At plate boundaries/ fault lines

Earthquake formation

They occur at plate boundaries/ fault lines, fault lines lock up- building up stress/ energy, energy release, causing an earthquake

At a convergent boundary, hotspots may form because one plate falls below another. This is called: 

Subduction zone

Earthquakes may form when stress builds as two plates slide past each other. Which of the following plate boundaries is described here?

Transform / strike slip boundary

How do we get volcanic island chains?

Because plates can have breaks in their surface

Volcanic island chain examples

Japan, Indonesia, Hawaii

What are tsunamis?

Underground earthquakes or underwater earthquakes

Tsunami (more in-depth definition)

long sea wave, can also be caused by underwater landslides

Ecological consequences of tsunamis

destroys habitats, drowns species, uproots trees, and contaminates water with saltwater & debris

Describe what happens when two tectonic plates collide alonga subduction zone

one plate is pushed beneath the other, and a trench or volcano may be formed at the subduction zone

Subduction zone

where one plat falls beneath another

Explain how subduction leads to volcanic activity

Step 1: One plate pushed beneath the other and melted.

Step 2: Molten material/ magma rises to the surface

Explain how a tsunami is generated along a subduction zone

An earthquake occurs underwater and water is displaced rapidly

Describe one negative ecological impact that tsunamis have on coastal environments

loss of habitat such as mangrove forests or coral reefs, flooding brings in saltwater, species may drown

Describe what happens to the tectonic plates along a transform boundary at the moment when an earthquake occurs

A large amount of energy is released and plants suddenly/ rapidly slide past each other in opposite directions

Describe what happens to the tectonic plates along a transform boundary during the time between earthquakes.

fault lock up/ bind up, and pressure builds up over time

How is soil formed?

Soil is formed when parent material is weathered, transported, and deposited.

Parent material

original rocks that were broken down to form the basis of the soil

weathering

mechanical breakdown of rock

Several factors that go into soil forming

type of parent material,

Type of parent material

rocks are broken down by wind and rain; soil tends to retain basic chemistry of these rocks