• The Earth’s crust is divided into sections called plates. • These plates are moved by convection currents.
In this chapter, we will look at the effects of this plate movement on the surface of the planet. We will look specifically at the effects of plates colliding, separating and sliding past each other. This chapter is important as it links directly to the next three chapters of the book. Therefore, a good understanding of this will make progress in the next chapters much easier.
Nazca Plate
African Plate South
American Plate
Antarctic Plate
Pacific Plate
Indo-Australian Plate
In Chapter 1, you learned about one of the most important theories discovered about the workings of our planet. Key points of the theory of plate tectonics are that:
KEY WORDS
l Convection currents l Convergent/destructive/colliding plate boundaries
l Divergent/constructive/separating boundaries l Transform/passive/neutral plate boundaries l Continental-continental l Continental-oceanic l Oceanic-oceanic
LEARNING OUTCOMES
What you MUST know l The three types of plate boundary l How each of the three plate boundaries is formed
l The three types of convergent/destructive plate boundary
l Examples of each type of plate boundary between major plates
l The processes and landforms that occur at each type of plate boundary
l Global examples of landforms at plate boundaries
l Formation of the Andes Mountains l Ireland’s tectonic journey
What you SHOULD know l Additional examples of boundaries between plates
What is USEFUL to know l Iceland CASE STUDY F
l Earthquakes l Fold mountains l Subduction l Ocean trenches l Mid-ocean ridges l Rifting l Volcanoes l San Andreas Fault l Mid-Atlantic Ridge
