WHA

S2

Geography Homework

Volcanoes Booklet

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 Whakaari/White Island Eruption December 2019 – Homework 1

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xvuhtG1c2II

The volcanic island Whakaari/White Island in New Zealand's north eastern Bay
of Plenty region explosively erupted on 9 December 2019. There were
reportedly 47 volcano tourists on the island at the time. Nineteen people were
killed, including two who are missing and presumed dead, and a further twenty-
eight people suffered injuries; many had severe burns.

Experts identified the event as a phreatic eruption: a release of steam and

volcanic gases that caused an explosion, launching rock and ash into the air.

A phreatic eruption or steam-blast eruption occurs when magma heats ground

water or surface water. The extreme temperature of the magma (anywhere
from 500 to 1,170 °C) causes near-instantaneous evaporation of water to steam.
This produces an explosion of steam, water, ash, rock, and volcanic bombs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAR1tzooDaw Complete the questions:

1. Why were so many people on the island when the volcano erupted?
2. What specifically caused the injuries and deaths to the visitors?
3. Explain what a phreatic eruption is.

Investigate the eruption on the internet.

4. Give two ways people were rescued from the island after the eruption.
Write a paragraph about one of the rescues which took place.
www.theguardian.com/world/2019/dec/10/new-zealand-volcano-
helicopter-pilot-says-was-victims-last-hope

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 The Theory of Plate Tectonics – Homework 2

New Zealand

The Earth's crust is broken up into pieces called plates. Heat rising and falling
inside the mantle creates convection currents generated by radioactive decay in
the core. The convection currents move the plates. The movement of the plates,
and the activity inside the Earth, is called plate tectonics.

Complete the following questions:

1. What are giant sections of the Earth’s Crust called?

2. Can you explain what creates convection currents?
3. Look at the map above. Can you name the two plates New Zealand
sits on?
4. What is causing the crustal plates to move apart?

Look at the diagram of a destructive plate boundary on the next

page. This is where two plates are colliding.

5. Which geological features are formed at a destructive plate

boundary?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQTfFCMYEI4

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 Destructive Plate Boundaries

Pyroclastic Flow
Pyroclastic flows are a fast-moving current of hot gas and rock known
as tephra. They are a common and devastating result of certain explosive
volcanic eruptions. Pyroclastic flows contain a much higher proportion of gas to
rock than ordinary ash clouds.

6. Use the internet or the library to write a paragraph about a town

which has been destroyed by a Pyroclastic Flow.

Hint: You could choose Pompeii, Herculaneum or Saint-Pierre on the island

of Martinique. How many people were killed? Where is the town? When
did it happen? Did they get any warning?