Geography UNIT 1A - The Restless Earth

-Two types of tectonic plates:

-Oceanic: thinner but more dense

-Continental: Thicker but less dense

-The plates move due to the mantle underneath moving

-Where two plates meet, this is what we call a plate boundary:

-Destructive: two plates moving towards each other e.g. The Himalayas or along east coast of Japan (Fold mountains or ocean trenches and volcanoes)

-Constructive: two plates moving away from each other e.g. The mid-Atlantic ridge

-Conservative: two plates moving sideways at different speeds e.g. San Andreas fault line

-How people use fold mountains:

-Farming: higher land for animal grazing e.g. mountain goats. And lower land for crops

-Hydro-electric power

-Mining: metal ores are found in fold mountains.

-Forestry: a good environment to grow some types of trees e.g. conifers

-Tourism: Scenery, skiing/snowboarding, walkers. Roads have been craved into some mountains - this also improves communications.

FOLD MOUNTAINS CASE STUDY: The Alps

-Farming:

-Goats producing milk/cheese/meat.

-Sunnier slopes have been terraced and turned into vineyards e.g. Lavaux, Switzerland.

-Hydro-electric power:

-Narrow valleys are dammed to generate power e.g. Berne, Switzerland.

-Tourism:

-100 million tourists each year.

-70% go skiing/snowboarding.

-New villages produced to cater for tourists e.g. Tignes, France.

	Created by immylou1999 over 9 years ago

Restless earth