Earth Quakes Tectonics NOTES ©Mark Place, 2009-2010 www.LearnEarthScience.com
Key Concepts & Questions What is the driving force behind crustal movement ?
Key Concepts & Questions Convection Currents in the Mantle
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Heat from earth’s formation Key Concepts & Questions What provides the energy for this force? radioactive decay Heat from earth’s formation
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Key Concepts & Questions What are the different types of earthquake waves? And how do they travel?
Key Concepts & Questions p-waves Travel Through Anything primary waves push-pull waves
Key Concepts & Questions s-waves Travels Through Solids Only secondary waves shear waves
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Key Concepts & Questions Where can most earthquake epicenters and volcanoes be found?
The Ring of Fire How does this compare with page 5 of the ESRTs?
Key Concepts & Questions at plate boundaries
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Key Concepts & Questions To find an earthquake’s epicenter a seismologist must have data from at least how many locations?
Key Concepts & Questions x Earthquake Epicenter Attica, NY
At least three
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Key Concepts & Questions How can scientists infer the properties of Earth’s interior?
by observing earthquake waves
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Key Concepts & Questions How do scientists know that Earth’s inner core is solid?
by the refraction of P-waves
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What can people do to protect themselves during an earthquake? Key Concepts & Questions What can people do to protect themselves during an earthquake?
stand against interior wall get under desk/table stand against interior wall stay away from windows
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What is the Richter Scale and how is it used? Key Concepts & Questions What is the Richter Scale and how is it used?
a measure of earthquake strength RICHTER SCALE a measure of earthquake strength used to describe expected damage
What is the Mercalli Scale and how is it used? Key Concepts & Questions What is the Mercalli Scale and how is it used?
a measure of earthquake damage MERCALLI SCALE a measure of earthquake damage used to describe observed damage
Earth Quake Reference Table Questions
If a p-wave arrives five minutes before the s-wave arrives, how many kilometers from the epicenter is a location? 3600 kms
If a p-wave arrives at 12:10:00 and the s-wave arrives at 12:16:20, how many kilometers from the epicenter is a location? 4800 kms
An earthquake epicenter is 2600 kilometers from a location An earthquake epicenter is 2600 kilometers from a location. If the p-wave arrives at 9:00:20, what time will the s-wave arrive? 9:04:20
An earthquake epicenter is 5200 kilometers from a location An earthquake epicenter is 5200 kilometers from a location. If the s- wave arrives at 1:20:20, what time did the p-wave arrive? 1:13:20
If a p-wave arrives 6 mins after an earthquake occurs, how many kilometers is the location from the epicenter? How long after the p- wave arrives will the s-wave arrive? 3200 kms 4:40 later
Plate Tectonics Tectonics NOTES ©Mark Place, 2009-2010 www.LearnEarthScience.com
What is the Theory of Continental Drift?
What is the Theory of Continental Drift? Alfred Wegner, 1915 The continents were once a super-continent called Pangea the continents are plowing through the ocean floors---most people didn’t believe this
What evidence supports this theory? Africa & South America look like they fit together similar fossils, rocks, and glacial striations
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What is the Theory of Plate Tectonics? Earth’s crust is made up of plates that ride on top of the aesthenosphere. The plates move due to convection currents in the mantle.
What evidence supports this theory? distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes sea-floor spreading
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How do oceanic and continental crust compare with regard to thickness and density? (ESRTs pg 10) thickness high low thin thick
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continental crust oceanic crust What are the primary rocks which make up the continental and oceanic crusts? continental crust oceanic crust Low-density, light- colored, coarse- grained, felsic, igneous rock High density, dark- colored, fine-grained, mafic igneous rock granite basalt
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What are these types of plate boundaries? What are the key characteristics for each? Give an example of where each can be found.
oceanic-continental convergent boundary trenches, volcanoes, deep earthquakes Peru-Chile Trench
continental-continental convergent boundary mountain building Himalayas
transform fault slide past one another shallow earthquakes San Andreas Fault
divergent plate boundary new crust is made Mid-Atlantic Ridge
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What happens to the age of oceanic crust as distance increases from a ridge?
Explain how magnetic data can be used to show that oceanic crust is diverging at ridges. Use the diagram below to help explain your answer. as new crust is made at ridges, the ferrous minerals (Fe) align according to where the magnetic poles are located same pattern on opposite sides of the ridge proves sea-floor spreading