Overview
This lesson explains how the distribution of volcanoes, earthquake epicenters, and major mountain ranges relates to plate tectonics, with a special focus on the Philippines.
Structure of the Earth
- The Earth is composed of four layers: crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core.
- Crust has two types: continental (thicker, older, forms continents) and oceanic (thinner, younger, forms ocean floors).
Lithosphere and Tectonic Plates
- The lithosphere includes the crust and the upper part of the mantle.
- The lithosphere is broken into tectonic plates, which move slowly due to mantle currents.
- Plate movement can cause geological events like earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation.
Plate Tectonics and Geological Features
- Plates can move apart, collide, or slide past each other, creating earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountains.
- Subduction is when one plate dives under another, often forming volcanoes.
- Earthquake epicenters, volcanoes, and mountain ranges are often closely situated or located along plate boundaries.
The Ring of Fire and the Philippines
- The Philippines is part of the Pacific "Ring of Fire," an area with frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
- The region’s geological activity is due to the interaction of several tectonic plates: Philippine Sea Plate, Eurasian Plate, Pacific Plate, and Sunda Plate.
- These plate interactions make the Philippines highly prone to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Crust — The outermost solid layer of the Earth.
- Mantle — Layer beneath the crust, involved in plate movement.
- Lithosphere — Rigid, outer layer comprising the crust and upper mantle.
- Tectonic Plate — Large, moving pieces of the lithosphere.
- Subduction — Process where one tectonic plate moves under another.
- Earthquake Epicenter — Point on Earth’s surface directly above where an earthquake starts.
- Ring of Fire — Area around the Pacific Ocean with many active volcanoes and earthquakes.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Watch the next video lesson on plate boundaries.