Download Plate Tectonics Notes

Plate Tectonics Notes
Chapters 5 & 6
Notes (page 3)
Defining Mountains
–A landform is any physical feature on Earth’s solid
surface
–Elevation is the height of land above or below sea level
Mountain Systems
–A group of mountains that share the same shape are
called a Mt. Range
–Mt. St. Helens is a volcano in the Cascade Mt. range
Mountain Development
–Young Mts.-sharp, jagged peaks with steep slopes
–Mature Mts. – rounded peaks with less sloped peaks
–Old Mts. – almost flat with no jagged peaks, rolling hills
and large valleys
Notes page 7
Volcanism
–Any movement of magma inside the Earth
–The opening from which lava flows through is
called a vent
Craters and Calderas
–The deep pit at the top of a volcano is a
crater
–A vent that collapses is called a caldera
The Story of Paricutin
–A volcano in Mexico that formed in 1943
Notes page 9
Tremors and Shakes
–An earthquake is a sudden, strong movement of Earth’s crust
Focus and Epicenter
–The place on Earth’s surface that is directly above the focus is called
the Epicenter
–Shakes the Hardest at the Epicenter
Causes of Earthquakes
–Earthquakes are associated with faulting
–Rocks Slip and release energy to form waves
–The waves are called seismic waves
Measuring Earthquakes
–A seismograph is an instrument that detects and measures
earthquakes
Zones of Activity
•There are three major zones of volcanic and
earthquake activity on Earth:
NOTES page 13
–the Ring of Fire
– the Mid-Atlantic Ridge
–Eurasian-Melanesian belt
Ring of Fire
•Forms a circle around the Pacific Ocean
Mid-Atlantic Ridge
•Long chain of underwater volcanic mountain chain
•Iceland is a part of this chain that sticks out of the
water
Eurasian-Melanesian Belt
•Earthquake belt in Europe and Asia formed from
colliding plates
Notes page 24
Tectonic Plates
 Lithosphere makes up Earth’s crust
 Lithosphere broken into large pieces called
Tectonic plates
 7 large plates and about 14 small
Floating Plates
 Plates float on the athenosphere
 Theory of Plate Tectonics
 Earth’s lithospehre is broken into plates
that float on the upper mantle
Notes page 27
Convection Currents
•A convection current is the movement of a gas or a liquid caused by
differences in temperature and density
Inside the Mantle
•Scientists think that giant convection currents in
Earth’s supper mantle cause the tectonic plates to
move
Plate Boundaries and Movements
Notes page 30
Earthquakes
• Earthquakes often occur where two tectonic
plates slide past each other.
Mountain Building
• When tectonic plates collide, sometimes the
crust crumples up to form mountains.
Volcanoes
• Volcanoes often form near subduction zones
because of the melting that occurs as the
plate is forced down into the hotter mantle.
Islands
• Some islands are formed when tectonic
plates move over hot spots.