Tectonic plates

• What is the Earth's surface made of?

  Huge floating tectonic plates
• What separates the Earth's surface into tectonic plates?

  The Earth's crust is divided into slabs
• What are the two types of crust that make up tectonic plates?

  Continental crust and oceanic crust
• How thick is the continental crust?

  30-50 km thick
• How thick is the oceanic crust?

  1. 10 km thick
• Why are tectonic plates constantly moving?

  Due to convection currents in the mantle
• What are the places where tectonic plates meet called?

  Plate margins or plate boundaries
• What are the three types of plate margins?

  1. Destructive Margins
  2. Constructive Margins
  3. Conservative Margins
• What happens at destructive margins?

  Two plates move towards each other
• What occurs when an oceanic plate meets a continental plate?

  The oceanic plate is subducted and destroyed
• What is created when an oceanic plate is subducted?

  Gas-rich magma
• What geological features occur at destructive margins?

  Volcanoes and ocean trenches
• What happens when two continental plates meet?

  The ground is folded upwards
• What is an example of a destructive margin?

  The Atacama Trench in South America
• What happens at constructive margins?

  Two plates move away from each other
• What is formed at constructive margins?

  New crust from rising magma
• What is an example of a constructive margin?

  The mid-Atlantic ridge
• What characterizes conservative margins?

  Plates move sideways past each other
• What happens to the crust at conservative margins?

  Crust isn't created or destroyed
• What is an example of a conservative margin?

  The San Andreas Fault
• What are the characteristics of oceanic and continental plates?

  • Oceanic plates are denser than continental plates
  • Continental crust is thicker and less dense
  • Oceanic crust is thinner and more dense
• How can you revise the characteristics of different plate margins?

  • Understand each margin type
  • Sketch and label diagrams
  • Practice identifying features