Where do we find earthquakes and
volcanoes?
Write down these questions, which you will answer through the lesson:
1. Do earthquakes and volcanoes appear all over the earth’s surface
or only in certain places?
2. Is there a recognisable pattern to where earthquakes seem to occur?
3. Which areas of the earth seem to be at the highest risk from
earthquakes? You will need an atlas to answer this question.
This is a map that shows plate boundaries.
What do you think a plate boundary is?
Is this map clearer or not? Why?
This map shows the plate boundaries again, and it also shows where we
find volcanoes. These are shown by red dots.
Is there a pattern that you can describe?
All the dots and circles on this map show earthquakes. What do you
think the bigger circles show?
Can you see any links between this map and the last one?
Now make sure that you answer the key questions:
1. Do earthquakes and volcanoes appear all over the earth’s surface
or only in certain places?
2. Is there a recognisable pattern to where earthquakes seem to occur?
3. Which areas of the earth seem to be at the highest risk from
earthquakes?
We can take our understanding a little further. For example:
Moves in a different way
to this one
This plate boundary
How…..?
Now write down:
1. How the plates move.
2. What happens when they move.
This is called a constructive plate
boundary
At this plate boundary, the plates move
apart very slowly. This causes earthquakes.
As they move, magma rises up, and if it
reaches the surface it will form a
volcano.
This is called a destructive plate
boundary
At this plate boundary, the plates move
together very slowly. As they rub
together this causes a lot of friction.
Friction leads to earthquakes, and can
also cause volcanoes because of the heat.