PLATE TECTONICS

Active Volcanoes Earthquake Epicenter Mountain Range

Epicenter – is the part of the Earth’s surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
Mountain – is a landmass that projects above its surroundings and is higher than a hill.
Seismograph – is an apparatus to measure and record vibrations within the earth and of the
ground.
Earthquake – is a shaking or trembling of the earth that is volcanic or tectonic in origin.
Volcano – is a vent or fissure in the planet’s crust through which lava, ash, rock and gases
erupt.
DYK? The ground we stand on is always moving.
Mantle – below the crust
Lithosphere – 100 km thick layer of solid rock, including the crust
The upper mantle that lies beneath the lithosphere is called asthenosphere.
Asthenosphere is also solid, but the rock here is softer due to high pressure and high
temperature.
Convection in the asthenosphere forms the foundation of Plate Tectonics.
According to the Plate Tectonics Theory the entire lithosphere of the Earth is broken into
numerous segments called plates.
7 LARGE PLATES:
 African Plates
 Antarctic Plates
 Eurasian Plates
 North American Plates
 South American Plates
 Indo-Australian Plates
 Pacific Plates
Mount Everest – 29, 035 feet
Cordillera Central – 320 KM
Sierra Madre – Backbone of Luzon – Longest Mountain range in the Philippines
Plates are in constant motion.
Plate movements may result in Earthquakes. May happen anytime either in land or in water.
Earthquakes on land can be caused either Tectonic Movement or Volcanic Eruption.
Ring of Fire – long chain of volcanoes that surround the Pacific Ocean
- Also called as Circum-Pacific Belt