KS3 Year 9: Tectonic Hazards

Layers of the Earth

-Inner Core

-Outer Core

-Mantle

-Crust

Inner Core

-2900km below earth’s surface

-Hottest layer and can reach 5500°C

- Made up of Iron and Nickel(Which is why the earth has a magnetic field)

Outer Core

-Layer that surrounds the inner core

-Made up liquid iron

Mantle

-Layer of earth that makes up 84% of its volumes

-Thickest section at around 2900km thick

-Made up of different layers

-Upper mantle is hard

-Below the upper mantle is is semi molten rock called magma

Crust

-Outer Layer of the Earth

-where we live

-Thinnest layer(around 5-90km thick)

Types of Earth Plates

The Earth’s Crust is split into two plates which float on the upper portion of the mantle

Types of Plate

-Dense oceanic crust

-Less dense thick continental crust

These Plates move slowly and either move apart, towards or past each other

Plate Margin

When tectonic plates meet.

Tectonic Activity

Natural events that occur as a result of the movement of tectonic plates

Tectonic hazard

A natural disaster caused by the Earth's crust moving, leading to loss of life, property damage, and disruption of human activities.

Theories for why the plates move

Two theories explain plate movement

-convection currents in the Earth's mantle, where heat from the core causes magma to rise.

-Slab pull, where heavier denser plates sink into the mantle and drag other sections, causing circular motion.