Plate movements

In this lesson, we’ll see how the Earth’s plates are moving – and how their movements produce earthquakes, volcanoes and even mountains!

1. Write numbers 1-10 in your book. Firstly, we’ll recap with this quiz.

1. Some plates are moving apart. These are called constructive plate margins as they construct new land.

2. Some plates are pushing into each other. If one of these plates is weaker, we call it a destructive plate margin, as old land is being destroyed.

3. If plates of the same strength push into each other, the crust gets squeezed up to form mountains e.g. the Himalayas. The plates are still pushing so the Himalayas are still growing. They are called fold mountains. This is called a collision plate margin.

4. Some plates are sliding past each other. These are called conservative plate margins. Both move in the same direction, but one is moving faster. The result is earthquakes now and then – but no volcanoes.

Constructive plate margins Destructive plate margins

Collision plate margins Conservative plate margins

2. Copy and complete the following table.

Plate boundary

Earthquakes Volcanoes Both

Constructive

Destructive

Collision

Conservative

3. Put numbers 1-12 in your exercise book and have a go at the following quiz.