why do tectonic plates move
convection currents
describe continental crust
thick ( 30-50km)
less dense
describe oceanic crust
thin (5-10km)
more dense
what are destructive plate margins
two plates are moving towards eachother
what happens when an oceanic plate meets a continental plate ( destructive plate margin )
the denser oceanic plate is subducted under the continental plate and is destroyed into magma
what happens when two continental plates meet ( destructive plate margin)
the ground is folded upwards creating fold mountains
what is a constructive plate margin
where two plates move away from eachother, magma rises from the mantle to fill the gap creating new crust
what are conservative plate margins
where two plates move sideways past eachother or moving the same direction at different speeds
- crust is neither destroyed or created
which plate margins can volcanoes occur at
destructive and constructive
which plate margins do earthquakes occur at
destructive, constructive and conservative
key information about the Gorkha earthquake in nepal
- date
- plate boundary
- GDP
- magnitude
- 25th of April 2015
- destructive plate boundary, indo australian plate is being subducted under the eurasian plate
- $690
- 7.8
primary effects of the Ghorka earthquake
- 9000 deaths and 22000 injuries
- 800000 buildings were destroyed
- 4 million were left homeless
- cost of damage was $5 billion
- water tanks and pipes were destroyed leaving 2 million people without clean water
secondary effects of the Ghorka earthquake
- the earthquake triggered avalanches on mount Everest which killed 18 people
- many roads were blocked by landslides preventing emergency aid from reaching remote areas
- a lack of clean water caused outbreaks of typhus which killed 13 people
immediate responses of Ghorka earthquake
- india and china sent out teams to help people trapped by debris
- Charities such as Oxfam provided medicine, food and temporary water supplies
- red cross set up emergency shelters for 130,000 families
