TECTONIC HAZARDS

STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH

The earth is made up of 3 layers:
o Core
o Mantle (inner and outer)
o Crust

THE CRUST
The crust is where we live and it is made up of Continental crust
which is thick (10-70km), buoyant which means it is less dense that
oceanic crust and the majority of them are old. It is also made up of
oceanic crust which is thin (7km), dense which means that is sinks
under continental crust and young.
HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT THE EARTH IS MADE OF?
We can use geophysical surveys such as seismic waves, gravity,
magnets and electricity. We can observe by using acquisition which
means observing it from the land, sea, air and satellite. And finally,
we can use geological surveys such as fieldwork, boreholes and
mines.
WHAT ARE PLATE TECTONICS?
o Looking at a map we can notice that some of the continents
could fit together like many pieces of a puzzle.
o The earth’s crust is divided into 12 major plates which are
moved in various directions.
o This plate motion causes them to collide, pull apart or scrape
against each other.
o Each type of “Interaction” causes a characteristic set of
structures of tectonic features.
o The word tectonic refers to the deformation of the crust as a
consequence of plate interaction.
WHAT IS TECTONIC PLATE MADE OF
Plates are made of rigid lithosphere. The lithosphere is made up of the
crust and the upper part of the mantle. Plates of lithosphere are moved
around by the underlying hot mantle convection currents.
TYPES OF PLATE BOUNDARIES
o Constructive Boundaries are spreading ridges. As plates move
apart new material is erupted to fill the gap.
o Destructive Boundaries are moving together causing structure
such as fold mountains.
o Conservative Boundaries are moving against each other causing
friction as they rub creating an epicentre of an earthquake.
CONTINENTAL COLLISON
Continental collision form mountains such as the Alps and the
Himalayas. Subduction is the Oceanic crust goes under the
Continental curst (buoyant). The Oceanic crust has a subducting slab
which dehydrates including partial melting in the overlying mantle
wedge. The mantle wedge feeds magma into the continental crust
forming volcanoes.
SUBDUCTION
o Oceanic lithosphere subducts underneath the continental
lithosphere. The molten rock rises forming volcanism. For
example, the Andes.
o When two oceanic plates collide, one runs over the other which
causes it to sink into the mantle forming a subduction zone.
HOTSPOT VOLCANOES
Hot mantle plumes breaching the surface in the middle of a tectonic
plate. As with volcanoes, earthquakes are not randomly distributed
over the globe. At the boundaries between plates, friction causes them
to stick together. When all of the tension is released, earthquakes
occur.
 PLATE TECTONICS SUMMARY
o The Earth is made up of 3 main layers (core, mantle, crust)
o On the surface of the Earth are tectonic plates that slowly move
around the globe
o There are 2 types of plate
o There are 3 types of plate boundaries
o Volcanoes and Earthquakes are closely linked to the margins of
the tectonic plates