TABLE OF CONTENTS

Plate tectonics…………………………………..…Page 3
Theory of plate tectonics………….…...……Page 4
Earth’s internal structure………………….…Page 5
Plate boundaries………………………….………Page 6
Hotspots…………………………..………………….Page 7
Plate tectonics is the theory that the Earth’s lithosphere is composed of
a mosaic of rigid plates that are in relative motion. Plate tectonics
affects h mountain umans in several important ways.
It causes earthquakes
It causes volcanism,
It induces recycling of elements within the biosphere and between the
geosphere Outer Core and biosphere. Inner Core It causes -building
Earth without plate tectonics would be hard to imagine. We’d have
fewer earthquakes and less volcanism, fewer mountains, and probably
no deep-sea trenches. Our weather would be more uniform due to the
lack of significant topography and landscapes would be older
The point at which two tectonic plates meet is called a
plate boundary. It is at these locations where tectonic
activity results in earthquakes, volcanoes, and the
formation of mountain ranges due to the movement of
the plates. Other associated landforms include young
fold mountain, rift valley, deep sea trench, and island
curve.

(Destructive Boundary also known as a Convergent

boundary)
Two plates are moving towards each other (continental
and oceanic crusts) one will be subducted and an island
are will form. A subduction zone and oceanic trench. As it
is subducted, it melts due to heat and pressure. The heat
sources are friction between the two plates and from the
Earth’s interior.
(Constructive Boundary also known as a divergent
boundary)
Two plates are moving away from each other as the two
plates separate, hot magma is able to rise to fill the gap
creating new crust. As magma continues to build up new
mountain ranges form under the sea creating a mid-
oceanic ridge Where rising magma continues to build up
above the ocean surface a volcanic island formed (for
example Surtsey, Iceland) Both earthquakes and
volcanoes occur at this type of boundary Ocean ridge and
volcanic islands can also form Example are North
American and Eurasian Plate forming the Mid-Atlantic
Ridges.
( Conservative Boundary also known as transform
boundary)
Two planes are moving alongside each other. Crist is
neither created or destroyed here but as both pressure
and friction results during the movement of the plates
side by side, a stick-slip motion results in the creation of
significant earthquakes. Pressures builds up due to
friction between the plates and when the plates break
apart, the energy is sent through the Earth as seismic
waves in the form of an earthquake.
Collision Boundary
Two plates (both continental crusts) are moving towards
each other, As both plates consist of continental crust
they both resist subduction and buckle and fold, being
upwards to create fold mountains, such as the Himalayas
Although there is no volcanic activity at these locations
due to the forces of collisions, major earthquakes often
occur here Example are Indo-Australian and Eurasian
Plate (forming the Himalayas).
Hotspot
You should be aware that while most
volcanoes/earthquakes occur along plate boundaries
reptions for example, the volcanic Hawaiian islands
which can be found in the middle of the Pacific Plate are
formed due to a hotspot Hotspots are plumes of molten
rock which rise underneath a plate causing localized
melting and the creation of magma resulting in volcanic
activity.
A hot spot develops above the plume. Mantle plumes are
areas of hot upwelling mantle. Magma generated by the
hot spot rises through the rigid plates of the lithosphere
and produces active volcanoes at the Earth’s surface. As
oceanic volcanoes move away from the hot spot, they
cool and subside, producing older islands, atolls. And
seamounts As continental volcanoes move away from
the hot.
The Pacific plate contains several linear belts of extinct
submarine volcanoes, called seamounts (also called
guyots). The formation of at least some of these
intraplate seamount chains can be attributed to
volcanism above a mantle hotspot to form a linear, age-
progressive hotspot track.