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Earth: Our Home

Full Geography

CHAPTER 4
Plate Movements

Chapter 3: Plate Tectonics


You will learn:
- to explain the formation, characteristics
and distribution of landforms
- to describe types of volcanoes
- to explain the formation, characteristics
and distribution of earthquakes
Plate Movements
• Compression  
 Process of forcing something into a smaller
structure by reducing it in volume by
pressing it together.

• Tension  
 A pulling force, tending to stretch, to cause
an extension of a body or to restore the
shape of an extended elastic object.
Landforms
• Fold Mountains
• Block Mountains
• Rift Valleys
• Volcanoes
Fold Mountains
Process:
• Formed via compressional forces.
• 2 tectonic plates collide.
• Rock layers buckle and fold.
• Result in the uplifting and compression of
Earth’s crust.
Fold Mountains
• Parts of a fold:
Hinge / Axis
Limbs
Fold Mountains
Characteristics:
• Age
Young – > 100 million years, 8000 m
Old – > 270-400 million years, lower in height
than young fold mountains.
Why?
- due to weathering and erosion
Fold Mountains
Characteristics
• Types of folds:
Anticline
Syncline
Symmetrical
Asymmetrical
Overfold
Recumbent
Overthrust
Anticline Fold
• Layers of rocks pushed upwards to form
an inverted-V shape.
Syncline Fold
• Layers of rocks pushed downwards to
‘sink’ and form a V shape.
Symmetrical Fold
• Layers of rocks are pushed towards each
other due to equal strength of
compressional forces on both sides.
Types of folds
• Increasing strength of compressional
forces applied unevenly on both sides
eventually results in the following:
- Symmetrical fold
- Asymmetrical fold
- Overfold
- Recumbent fold
- Overthrust fold
Where are Fold Mountains
Found?
Block Mountains
Process:
• 3 movements –
Tensional
Compressional
Sliding

A highland formed when the crust between


2 normal faults is raised.
Tensional and Compressional
Forces

When tensional forces pull When compressional forces push When either tensional or
two blocks apart, a normal two blocks together, a reverse compressional forces cause
fault is formed. fault is formed. two blocks to slide past each
other, a tear fault is formed.
Block Mountains
Process:
A highland formed when the crust on both
sides of 2 normal faults sink due to
tensional forces.
Formation of block mountains
(due to tensional forces)

Tensional forces from The tensional forces cause When the crusts on either
opposite ends of the crust normal faults or cracks to side of the normal faults
pull the rock within the appear. move apart, they sink and
area away from each other. leave the central block
standing higher than the
rest, thus forming a block
mountain.
Block Mountains
Process:
A highland formed when the crust between
2 reverse faults is uplifted due to
compressional forces.
Formation of block mountains
(due to compressional forces)

Compressional forces
The compressional forces When compressional forces on either
from opposite ends of the
cause reverse faults or cracks side of the reverse faults push two
crust push the rock within
to appear. crusts together, the central block is
the area towards each
raised to form a block mountain.
other.
Rift Valley
• A lowland formed by the sinking of crust
between normal faults as a resulting of
tensional forces.
Rift valleys

Tensional forces from


The tensional forced cause As the crusts on either side
opposite ends of the
normal faults or cracks to of the normal faults pull
crust pull the rocks
appear. apart, the crust in between
within the area away
sinks to form a rift valley.
from each other.
Where are Block Mountains and
Rift Valleys found?
Volcanoes
• A conical or dome-shaped landform
formed by the accumulation of lava
emitted onto the Earth’s surface.
Volcanoes
Process:
• Vulcanicity
 Plate movements along boundaries and high
temperatures increase pressure in the mantle.
 Magma forces its way upwards through vents to the
Earth’s crust.
 Magma pours onto the Earth’s surface as lava.
 Lava cools and solidifies around the vent.
 Lava accumulation results in the formation of a
volcano.
Nature & Composition of Lava
Basic Lava
• 1,100 – 1,200 C
• Highly fluid with low viscosity
• Solidifies less quickly

Acid lava
• 800 – 1,000C
• Thick, sticky and resistant to flow; high viscosity
• Solidifies more quickly
Types of Volcanoes
• Shield volcano
• Acid volcano
• Composite volcano
Shield Volcano
• A gentle sloping volcano that is flat near
the top.
• Usually formed from basic lava, low in
viscosity.
• E.g. Mauna Loa, Hawaii
Acid Volcano
• A volcano formed from acid lava.
• Steep slopes are a result of its viscous
lava which solidifies near the vent.
• Typified by violent eruptions:
Quick solidification blocks vents and pipes.
Pressure builds up in the magma chamber.
Violent eruption ensues.
Composite Volcano
• A highly common volcano which consists of
alternating layers of ash and cinder, and lava.
• Process:
 Viscous lava forces its way up the vent.
 Magma is pushed up via other pipes and cracks in the
Earth’s surface.
 Quick solidification of lava results in the escape of
magma and gas.
 Results in mounting pressure in magma chamber.
 Violent eruption ensues.
Composite Volcano
• Appearance:
 Steeper at the top, with a gentler base.
Why?
 Violent eruption of ash and cinder is followed by lava.
 Wind sorting of volcanic material by size accounts for
appearance.
 Smaller particles are blown further away from the
crater.
 E.g.Mt.Vesuvius, Italy
Where are Volcanoes Found?
Earthquakes
• A vibration or tremor of the Earth’s surface
caused by the sudden release of energy
stored in the crust.
1. As tectonic plates move, they exert
friction on one another, causing
pressure to build at their boundaries.

Tectonic plates exert


friction on one
another

2. Pressure gradually builds up in the plates and


energy is stored up in the Earth’s crust.

Pressure builds
up as the plates
push against
Shock waves
one another
radiate
3. When the rocks can no longer contain the pressure, energy is released.
This energy radiates out in shock waves through the crust and onto the Earth’s
Pressure is
surface. Large faults will also occur as the rocks break up and move in a series of
released in
an sudden jerks.
earthquake
Earthquakes
Energy of earthquake dependent on:
• Focus – point of release of energy within the
Earth’s crust.
• Epicentre – point on the Earth’s surface that lies
directly above the focus.
• Energy released as shockwaves.
Shock
waves
Fault

Focus (point of Epicentre


origin)
Earthquakes
What determines the strength of an
earthquake?
• Shallow focus leads to a stronger
earthquake as vibrations are felt more
strongly.
• Shock waves of energy are felt more
strongly at the epicentre.
Where are Earthquakes
Found?
Just a thought …
Why are shockwaves felt more strongly
near the epicentre and not the focus?

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