Plate Tectonics

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  • Created by: Max Oscar
  • Created on: 30-03-22 22:46
How do tectonic plates move?
Convection Currents
Slab pull
Ridge push
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What are Convection Currents?
Heat energy that moves tectonic plates
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What is slab pull?
Occurs at destructive plate boundaries
Oceanic plate is thin & dense therefore it is subducted underneath the lighter & thicker continental plate
Weight of oceanic plate moving down causes more oceanic plate to move down
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What is Ridge push?
Occur at constructive plate boundaries
Plates are pushed apart
Happens due to magma rising up from the mantle as 2 plates diverge
The magma reaches the surface it cools, thickens & pushes previously erupted material away from the the plate margin
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What to do in exam questions
- If asked to explain a plate boundary/margin, use all 3 explanations
- If asked a 15 marker put slab pull & convection currents ahead of ridge push
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

What are Convection Currents?

Back

Heat energy that moves tectonic plates

Card 3

Front

What is slab pull?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

What is Ridge push?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What to do in exam questions

Back

Preview of the front of card 5

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