Year 10 - Geography
Processes at destructive/convergent plate margins
Tectonic hazards
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
This unit teaches pupils about tectonic hazards, their location, causes and effects. Pupils learn about the different types of hazard before focusing on earthquakes and volcanoes. Pupils will learn about tectonic processes, hazard impacts and the options for mitigation and adaptation.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain the processes at destructive/convergent plate margins and the causes of earthquakes and volcanoes.
Key Notes
- Destructive/convergent plate margins involve two plates moving towards each other.
- Distinctive processes occur at destructive/convergent plate margins.
- Earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur at destructive/convergent plate margins and have distinctive characteristics.
Vocabulary To Learn
- subduction: the process at a destructive plate margin where a denser oceanic plate sinks beneath a less dense plate into the mantle
- tsunami: a series of large ocean waves caused by underwater earthquakes, volcanic eruptions or landslides
- magnitude: a measure of the energy released by an earthquake; a higher magnitude means a stronger earthquake
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- That volcanoes occur directly above where the oceanic plate starts to subduct.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain this geography topic using two clear key points.
Destructive/convergent plate margins involve two plates moving towards each other. Distinctive processes occur at destructive/convergent plate margins.
2. Define this geography term and use it in an example. 'subduction'
the process at a destructive plate margin where a denser oceanic plate sinks beneath a less dense plate into the mantle.
3. Correct this common geography misunderstanding.
Mistake: That volcanoes occur directly above where the oceanic plate starts to subduct. Correction: In fact, the melting of the oceanic plate occurs deep in the mantle, so magma rises to the surface some distance away from the plate margin.
More Lessons In This Unit
- Examples of management of earthquake hazards Study Guide
- Examples of management of volcanic hazards Study Guide
- Global distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes Study Guide
- Impacts of earthquakes in a developed and a developing country Study Guide
- Impacts of volcanoes in a developed and an emerging country Study Guide
- Plate tectonics theory Study Guide
- Processes at conservative plate margins Study Guide
- Processes at constructive/divergent plate margins Study Guide
- Reducing risks from earthquakes and volcanoes Study Guide
- The structure of the Earth Study Guide
- Using GIS to visualise physical processes at different types of plate margin Study Guide
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