4.1 Plate Tectonics

• Plate tectonics is the theory that the Earth's lithosphere
• Tectonic plates float on the partially molten asthenosphere in the mantle.
• Match the plate boundary with its geological feature:

  Convergent ↔️ Mountains

  Divergent ↔️ Mid-ocean ridges

  Transform ↔️ Fault lines
• Steps involved in the formation of a mid-ocean ridge at a divergent boundary:

  1️⃣ Plates move apart

  2️⃣ Magma rises from the mantle

  3️⃣ Magma cools and solidifies

  4️⃣ New seafloor is created
• Tectonic plates are categorized into major and minor plates based on their size
• Major plates cover vast areas, while minor plates have less geographical coverage.
• Match the plate type with an example:

  Major Plate ↔️ Pacific Plate

  Minor Plate ↔️ Caribbean Plate
• Convergent boundaries result in geological features such as mountains, volcanoes, and trenches
• Earthquakes are commonly associated with transform plate boundaries.
• Steps involved in the formation of a mountain range at a convergent boundary:

  1️⃣ Plates collide

  2️⃣ Crust folds and uplifts

  3️⃣ Mountains are formed
• What geological feature is formed at a divergent plate boundary?

  Mid-ocean ridge
• What is the theory of plate tectonics based on?

  Rigid plates interacting
• Tectonic plates float on the partially molten asthenosphere
• Interactions between tectonic plates result in geological features like mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes.
• Match the plate boundary with its description:

  Convergent ↔️ Plates collide

  Divergent ↔️ Plates move apart

  Transform ↔️ Plates slide past each other
• At divergent boundaries, plates move apart to create mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys.
• What geological feature is commonly associated with transform boundaries?

  Earthquakes
• Tectonic plates are categorized into major plates and minor plates based on their size and geographical coverage.
• Which major plate is an example of a large plate covering vast areas of the Earth's lithosphere?

  Pacific Plate
• Minor plates are often found between major plates.
• Match the plate boundary with its geological feature:

  Convergent ↔️ Mountains

  Divergent ↔️ Mid-ocean ridges

  Transform ↔️ Fault lines
• At divergent boundaries, plates move apart, creating mid-ocean ridges and rift valleys.
• What type of geological event is common at transform boundaries?

  Earthquakes
• What are the three primary driving forces behind plate tectonics?

  Mantle convection, Ridge push, Slab pull
• Mantle convection is driven by heat from Earth's core.
• Ridge push occurs because newly formed crust at mid-ocean ridges becomes denser as it cools, pushing plates away from the ridge.
• What is slab pull and where does it occur?

  Gravity pulls subducting slabs
• Match the driving force with its mechanism:

  Mantle convection ↔️ Convective currents from core heat

  Ridge push ↔️ Gravity sliding plates away from ridges

  Slab pull ↔️ Gravity on dense subducting slabs
• Plate movements lead to seismic activity, mountain building, and volcanic activity.
• Earthquakes occur when tectonic plates slide past each other at transform boundaries or collide at convergent boundaries.
• At which type of plate boundary do mountains typically form?

  Convergent
• Volcanoes develop at divergent boundaries where magma rises from the mantle.
• Order the geological consequences by their associated plate boundaries:

  1️⃣ Convergent: Seismic activity, Mountain building, Volcanic activity

  2️⃣ Divergent: Volcanic activity

  3️⃣ Transform: Seismic activity