Geography form 3 SYLLABUS

Structure of the earth The different layers of the earth

The characteristics of the layers of the earth
Why does live exist on the continual crust/layer of the earth

What is plate tectonics

Plate tectonics What is a plate and a plate margin/boundary
Oceanic and continental plates
The continental drift + evidence
Different types of plate margins/boundaries
Features formed at each margin
What is an earthquake
Earthquakes Focus, epicentre, focal depth
Terms associated with earthquakes
Explain why earthquakes occur at transform margins
Distinguish between a natural hazard and a natural disaster
Distribution of earthquakes
Predictions of earthquakes
Case study
Effects of an earthquake
Response to earthquakes
What is a volcano
Terms
Volcanoes Formation of volcanoes
Structure of a volcano
Materials ejected from volcanoes
Types of lava
Examples of volcanoes
Features of a volcano
Volcanic cones
Case study + effects
Advantages and disadvantages of volcanoes

Definitions
Folding and faulting Types of folds
Features formed by folding
Types of faulting
Features formed by faulting

The rock cycle The stages in the rock cycle

Types of rocks
Definitions
Types of weathering
Denudation Mass movement definition
Types of mass movement
Case study
Measures to reduce the effects of mass movement
 What is limestone
Characteristics of limestone
Limestone landscape Types of limestone
Why is limestone important as a resource
Features formed in a limestone landscape
How is limestone weathered
Terms
Drainage basins
Rivers Drainage patterns
Courses in a river
Works of a river
Deltas
Types of deltas
Formation of deltas + conditions needed
Features formed by a river
Rive floods
Case study + effects
Differences between weather and climate
Elements of the weather
Weather and climate Weather systems
Weather symbols
Hurricanes
Weather conditions associated with hurricanes
Formation of a hurricane
Structure of a hurricane
How hurricanes die
Strom surges
Precautionary measure
Case study + effects
Terms associated with coasts
Waves
Coasts Characteristics of waves
Type of waves
Wave formation
Work of waves
Longshore drift
Coastal erosion features
Coastal depositional features
What are coral reefs
Coral reefs Formation of coral reefs
Conditions needed for formation
Types of coral reefs
Human and natural impacts on coral reefs
How can we protect coral reefs
Benefits of coral reefs
 Structure of the earth
Layers of the earth

3500 km thick.
Characteristics of the core Makes up 12% of the earths volume
Inner core ( made of solid matter, nickel and iron)
Outer core (made of molten)
The temperature of the core is 3000-5000 degrees Celsius
2900 km thick
Characteristics of the mantle It accounts for 84% of the earths volume
It is comprised of a mixture of rocks in the solid and molten state
and is rich in iron and magnesium. Rocks in the molten state are
called magma
The temperature in the mantle is over 1200 degrees Celsius. The
mantle is responsible for the movement of the top layers above it.
The outermost layer. Makes up 1% of the earths volume. It is about 10
Characteristics of the crust to 70 km thick. It is divided into:
continental crust comprised of granitic rock, it is 37km thick, it is high
in silica and aluminium SIAL
oceanic crust comprised of basaltic rock, it is 8km thick, denser, it is
high in silica and magnesium - SIMA

Why does live exist on the We live on the continental layer because it has the lowest temperature
continental crust/layer of the compared to the other layers therefore it is the most durable. Also, it is the
earth? only layer with the presence of oxygen, which is necessary for live.
 Plate Tectonics
What is a plate? A plate, also called a crustal plate, is a rigid segment of the earths crust
which can float across the heavier, semi-molten rock below. Plates look
like the cracked shell of a hardboiled egg. Plates have irregular shapes
and different sizes.
Oceanic plates Continental plates Smaller plates
Examples of plates in the Pacific plate Eurasian plate Caribbean plate
world North American Nazca plate
plate Philippine plate
South American Cocos plate
plate Iranian plate
Indo Australian Arabian plate
plate
African plate
Antarctic plate
Plate margins are found at the edges of the plates. This is where two
What is a plate plates meet. Plate margins form lines of weakness in the crust. There are
margin/boundary? 3 types of plate margins:
Convergent plate margin
Divergent plate margin
Transform plate margin
Plate tectonics is the study of the plates which make up the earths crust
What is plate tectonics? and how their movement affects rocks and landforms at the surface.

Plate tectonics is a theory which describes the large scale motions of

Earth's lithosphere. The theory builds on the older concepts of continental
drift, developed during the first decades of the 20th century by Alfred
Wegener.
In the year 1912, a German geographer by the name of Alfred Wegener
Continental drift proposed a proposition that stated that all the 7 continents of the world
were joined together and formed one big land mass called Pangaea which
dived into a north (Laurasia) and a south (Gondwanaland). He stated that
the high temperature of the mantle caused the rocks to be in a molten
state which formed convection currents.

The term continental drift simply means that the 7 continents drifted apart
from each other due to convection currents.

Rocks which formed more than 150 million years ago in Eastern
Evidence of the continental South America are very similar to rocks which formed at the same
drift period in Western Africa.
The continents, especially South America and Africa fitted together
like a jigsaw puzzle.
The presence of coal formed in warm, wet conditions was found in
Antarctica.
Convergent Margins Plates move towards each other
Subduction takes place as one plate goes under the other.
Subducted plate is melted and goes under the mantle
Earthquakes, fold mountains and volcanoes are formed
Eg. North America and Pacific plates, Caribbean and Cocos plates

Plates move away from each other.

New plate material is added.
Sea floor spreading occurs to form a new crust.
Divergent Margins Earthquakes, volcanic activity and rift valleys, ridges are formed.
Eg. Africa and the Americas separated to form the Mid-Atlantic
Ridge which is the largest divergent plate margin on the planet.

Plates slide horizontally past each other.

These areas are subjected to major earthquakes.
Transform Margin Eg. The San Andreas Fault in California, USA. Here the very small
Juan de Fucas plate is sliding north-westwards while the
neighbouring North American plate is moving westerly.