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A 10 minute tectonics test
Student tasks
1. What is the difference between magma and lava?
2. Which tectonic plate is also known as ‘the Ring of Fire’?
3. Which type of plate boundary is responsible for the formation of fold mountains?
4. Give two features of a shield volcano.
5. List three hazards associated with a volcanic eruption.
6. Name one place in the world we might find a ‘super volcano.’
7. Name two different scales used to measure the intensity of an earthquake.
8. What is the difference between the ‘epicentre’ and the ‘focus’ of an earthquake?
9. Name one type of plate boundary associated with powerful earthquakes.
10. Describe the changes in a tsunami wave as it approaches the shore.
11. Label the image below:
© 1990 United States Geological Survey - Image used courtesy of the USGS
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/kilauea/history/1990Kalapana/19900429-JG15289_large.jpg
12. Imagine the person in the image is you. Write a postcard home describing the view.
© www.teachitgeography.co.uk 2014
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A 10 minute tectonics test
Suggested answers
1. What is the difference between magma and lava?
Magma is the name given to molten rock beneath the earth’s surface. It becomes
lava once it erupts.
2. Which tectonic plate is also known as ‘the Ring of Fire’?
The Pacific Plate.
3. Which type of plate boundary is responsible for the formation of fold mountains?
A collision boundary.
4. Give two features of a shield volcano.
Gentle slopes, wide base, runny basaltic lava and non-explosive eruptions.
5. List three hazards associated with a volcanic eruption.
Pyroclastic flows, volcanic bombs, initial blast, ash cloud, ash settling, lava flows,
mud flows/lahars, thick/viscous acidic lava, landslides and sulphur dioxide emissions.
6. Name one place in the world we might find a ‘super volcano.’
Yellowstone, USA: Toba, Indonesia; Long Valley, USA and Taupo in New Zealand.
7. Name two different scales used to measure the intensity of an earthquake.
The Richter and Mercalli Scales.
8. What is the difference between the ‘epicentre’ and the ‘focus’ of an earthquake?
The focus is the point of rupture underground; the epicentre is the point on the
surface, vertically above the focus.
9. Name one type of plate boundary associated with powerful earthquakes.
Either conservative/transform boundaries or destructive boundaries.
10. Describe the changes in a tsunami wave as it approaches the shore.
It increases in height and slows down.
11. Label the image below:
Vegetation, trees, grass, tarmac access road or track, abandoned single storey
house, adventure tourist or geologist, lava is possibly/probably basalt, front of lava
flow, slowly advancing black lava.
12. Imagine the person in the image is you. Write a postcard home describing the view.
A short paragraph using a selection of the words/phrases from the previous answer.
The paragraph should consider a selection of the 5Ws – Who? What happened?
When? Where did it take place? Why did it happen?
© www.teachitgeography.co.uk 2014
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