Revision Notes:
Tectonic Processes and Hazards
, Key Terms:
Natural hazard: A naturally occurring process or event that has the potential to
affect people.
Asthenosphere: region of the upper mantle.
Natural disaster: A major natural hazard that causes significant social,
environmental and economic damage.
Vulnerability: The ability to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from a natural
hazard.
Palaeomagnetism: The study of past changes in the Earth’s magnetic field.
Intra-plate earthquakes: Earthquakes that occur in the middle of plates - far from
the margins.
Water column: The area of seawater from the surface to the sea floor.
Resilience: The ability to protect lives, livelihoods and infrastructure from
destruction, and to restore the areas after a natural hazard has occurred.
Hydrometeorological hazards: Natural hazards caused by climate processes.
, EQ1: Why are some locations more at risk from
tectonic hazards?
The global distribution of tectonic hazards can be explained by plate boundary and other
tectonic processes.
The Global distribution of Hazards:
- Geophysical hazards occur near plate boundaries. These plates move at different
speed and directions which can cause collisions, earthquakes and volcanic activity.
- Earthquakes can also occur near the middle of plates (called intra-plate). It is assumed
that plates have pre-existing weaknesses which become reactivated, forming seismic
waves.
- Volcanic hotspots, such as the Ring of Fire, are also situated amongst the centre of
plates. At hotspots magma rises as plume (hot rock).
Tectonic plate boundaries:
When two tectonic plates meet, they form a plate boundary - each type creating distinct
processes and landforms. It is at these plate boundaries that most tectonic activity
occurs. The areas adjacent to plate boundaries are called plate margins.
The three types of boundary are:
1) Convergent/destructive - where two plates collide
2) Divergent/constructive - where two plates move apart
3) Conservative/transform - where two plates slide past each other
Tectonic Processes and Hazards
, Key Terms:
Natural hazard: A naturally occurring process or event that has the potential to
affect people.
Asthenosphere: region of the upper mantle.
Natural disaster: A major natural hazard that causes significant social,
environmental and economic damage.
Vulnerability: The ability to anticipate, cope with, resist and recover from a natural
hazard.
Palaeomagnetism: The study of past changes in the Earth’s magnetic field.
Intra-plate earthquakes: Earthquakes that occur in the middle of plates - far from
the margins.
Water column: The area of seawater from the surface to the sea floor.
Resilience: The ability to protect lives, livelihoods and infrastructure from
destruction, and to restore the areas after a natural hazard has occurred.
Hydrometeorological hazards: Natural hazards caused by climate processes.
, EQ1: Why are some locations more at risk from
tectonic hazards?
The global distribution of tectonic hazards can be explained by plate boundary and other
tectonic processes.
The Global distribution of Hazards:
- Geophysical hazards occur near plate boundaries. These plates move at different
speed and directions which can cause collisions, earthquakes and volcanic activity.
- Earthquakes can also occur near the middle of plates (called intra-plate). It is assumed
that plates have pre-existing weaknesses which become reactivated, forming seismic
waves.
- Volcanic hotspots, such as the Ring of Fire, are also situated amongst the centre of
plates. At hotspots magma rises as plume (hot rock).
Tectonic plate boundaries:
When two tectonic plates meet, they form a plate boundary - each type creating distinct
processes and landforms. It is at these plate boundaries that most tectonic activity
occurs. The areas adjacent to plate boundaries are called plate margins.
The three types of boundary are:
1) Convergent/destructive - where two plates collide
2) Divergent/constructive - where two plates move apart
3) Conservative/transform - where two plates slide past each other
