Name: _______________________________________________________________________ Block: _____________
Plate Tectonics, Earthquakes & Volcanoes Review Sheet
Topic: Layers of the Earth
4 COMPOSITION Layers
5 PHYSICAL Layers
1. Crust
1. Lithosphere
2. Mantle
2. Asthenosphere
3. Outer Core
3. Mesosphere
4. Inner Core
4. Outer Core
5. Inner Core

What layers has convection currents? Asthenosphere

Which layer is the hottest? Inner core

Which layer is broken into tectonic plates? Lithosphere

Explain convection currents and how it contributes to the movement of the
plates. Be sure to explain where the energy comes from to make this process
happen. The inner core is so hot that it heats up the other layers. The “puttylike” layer of the asthenosphere slowly moves – as particles get heated from core
they spread out & become less dense – and they rise. They then cool off (due to
farther from core) and become more dense & sink. Then they heat up & rise,
etc. This happens continuously, causing the lithosphere to move about.
Topic: Tectonic Plate Movement

The theory of continental drift states that continents can drift apart from one
another and have done so in the past.

What 3 pieces of evidence did we discuss that helps support this theory?
o
Similar fossils found on different continents
o
The fitting together of the continents
o
Glacier groves that line up if you line up the continents
The giant landmass that once existed: _Pangea_______ meaning “all earth.”
Name: _______________________________________________________________________ Block: _____________
__Sea__ __floor___ Spreading is the process by which new lithosphere is created as older
materials are pulled away (ex: of a divergent boundary).
3 Types of tectonic plate boundaries are: Convergent (plates collide), Divergent (plates
divide), Transform (plates slide)
Topic: Earthquakes

Why do earthquakes occur? Where do they often occur? They occur as tectonic
plates move around and when built up stress is released. The vibrations when the
plate move can be felt as seismic waves. They often occur along plate boundaries
and along ring of fire.

What do scientists study with earthquakes? (What can they find out about?) They
can study where an earthquake started, how strong it is, how much damage, size,
etc. They CANNOT predict or prevent them.

Waves of energy are called _seismic___ waves. There are two types:

Body waves – _S______ and __P_____ waves.
o __P____ waves travel quickest and through solids, liquids & gases.
o _S___ waves travel less quickly and only travel through solids.

__Surface_______________ waves – travels along the surface of the earth.

Which boundary creates the strongest earthquakes? Convergent
Topic: Volcanoes

How are volcanoes formed? Formed along hot spots (weak spots in crust where
mantle rises – Ex: Hawaii) or convergent boundaries as mantle is pushed up.

Where are they often located? Ring of fire, hot spots, boundaries

What affects do volcanic eruptions have on the environment (both biotic and
abiotic)? Biotic: Smother crops, kill animals; Abiotic: affect water supply, block
out sunlight & affect temperatures, destroy homes, etc.