Opportunities and

risks

Examples of natural hazards

Climatic hazards
Drought

Flooding

(Credit: DFID -
UK Department
for International
Development) Typhoons
3
 Examples of natural hazards Examples of natural hazards
Geological hazards Biological hazards
Landslides Pests (e.g. locust)
Disease/Bacteria (e.g.
avian flu)

Avalanches

Examples of natural hazards

Tsunami
Tectonic hazards
Earthquake

Volcanic eruption 8
 Why do we need to be concerned about Why should we be concerned about tectonic
tectonic hazards? Tectonic hazards often
hazards?
cause widespread
property
destruction of __________ Will these
What causes hazards affect
life
and loss of ______. these Hong Kong?
hazards?

Will people
living in
hazard-prone
areas continue How do they
to stay there? cope with
these hazards?
The damage caused by the earthquake at Lushan, Sichuan in April 2013

1.1 • Why is our earth unstable - tectonics

1.2 • Endogenic processes - landforms

Natural processes • Plate boundaries - landforms
1.3

1.4 • How does plate movement create hazards

Ris 1.5 • Impacts of hazards – how can we deal with them
k 1.6 • Is it rational to live in hazard prone areas
Human –
Environment
11 12
 Why is our earth
unstable?
TrueMitra - [Link]

13

How is the structure of the earth similar to the Structure of the earth
Ferrero Rocher Chocolate? How is the structure of the earth similar to the
You can use your Ferrero Rocher Chocolate?
imagination to make
things interesting!

16 Footer text here

Structure of the earth What is the structure of the earth?
The crust
(Oceanic crust:
6–8 km thick;
(Average density:
2.7 g/cm3) crust
The _______
Continental crust:
25–70 km thick) Our earth can be
The mantle
2,900 km thick
three
divided into _______
(Average density:
3.3 g/cm3)
layers based on their
composition.

The core
From the surface
(3,470 km thick)
(Average density:
to the centre, they
11 g/cm3) are:

Density of minerals: The

Magnesium: 1,738 kg/m3
Silica (silicon): 2,330 mantle
_______
kg/m3
Aluminium: 2,700 kg/m3
Iron: 7,874 kg/m3
Nickel: 8,908 kg/m3 core
The ______

1 Crust 1 Crust
Oceanic crust Continent Continental shelf
Continental
Continental crust
There are two types crust
Continental
of crust: 0 km
crust makes up Crust Continental
continental crust
___________ the continents 6–70 km crust
oceanic
and ___________ and the
crust. continental
____________
shelves
________.
Mantle
Continental crust
is ( thin / thick )
and light. The age
of rock is ( old /
young ).
(Not drawn to scale)
 1 Crust 25–70 km 2 Mantle
thick 6–8 km
Oceanic crust thick
The mantle lies ( above / below ) the crust, as it is
( less dense / denser ).
Oceanic crust
is found under 0 km
Continental
the oceans. Crust
crust Oceanic crust
6–70 km
Crust
It is ( thinner /
thicker ) and
denser, and the
age of rock is Mantle

generally ( older /
Mantle
younger ) than
continental crust.

(Not drawn to scale)

(Not drawn to scale)

2 Mantle 2 Mantle
The mantle can be divided into three parts: The mantle can be divided into three parts:

0 km
Lithosphere Lithosphere
Crust Crust
of the mantle of the mantle
Upper most part Upper most part
6–70 km

Asthenosphere
• ( Solid / Plastic )
state
Uppermost part of the • It lies below the
mantle Asthenosphere lithosphere and
Mantle • ( Solid / Plastic ) state Mantle
flows slowly under
• Together with the crust, pressure
they are collectively
known as ____________
lithosphere 350–500 km

(Not drawn to scale) (Not drawn to scale)

 2 Mantle 3 Core
The mantle can be divided into three parts: The core is the ( hottest / coldest ) and the ( densest
/ lightest ) part of the earth.
It can be subdivided into
0 km
two parts:
Lithosphere
Crust Outer core
6–70 km
Upper most part
of the mantle st The material is in ( solid /
ru
C plastic / liquid ) form, because
the intense heat has melted
Mantle them
Asthenosphere
Mantle Inner core
Lower mantle The material is kept in ( solid /
( Solid / Plastic ) state plastic / liquid ) form because it
due to ( low / high ) Core is under the greatest pressure
350–500 km
pressure
Lower mantle

(Not drawn to scale)

What is the structure of the earth? What is the structure of the earth?
Density Temp. and depth Density Temp. and depth
0 km 0 km
Lowest 70 km Lowest 70 km
<1,000–3,500°C

<1,000–3,500°C
Crust

2,970 km Mantle 2,970 km

3,500–4,500°C
3,500–4,500°C

Highest Highest
6,440 km 6,440 km

Layer Composition Division State Description Layer Composition Division State Description

• Thicker and ________

lighter Uppermost part of Together with the crust forms
Continental crust • With more aluminium, potassium Solid
the mantle the ___________
lithosphere
Crust Mainly silica Solid and sodium Rich in iron and
Mantle
magnesium
denser
• Thinner and ________ Asthenosphere Plastic Rocks can flow very slowly
Oceanic crust
• With more iron and magnesium
Lower mantle Solid Solid state under high pressure
What is the structure of the earth? What is the structure of the earth?
Density Temp. and depth
The crust
0 km (Oceanic crust:
Lowest 70 km
Which layer is 6–8 km thick;
Continental crust:

<1,000–3,500°C
the thinnest? The mantle
25–70 km thick)

Which one is (2,900 km thick)

2,970 km
the thickest?

3,500–4,500°C
Core The core
Highest The ________
crust is (3,470 km thick)

6,440 km
the thinnest layer,
Layer Composition Division State Description while the ________
core
Outer core Liquid Materials melted into liquid form is the thickest
Core Rich in iron and under high temperature
nickel layer.
Inner core Solid Solid state under high pressure

What is the structure of the earth? Characteristics

The crust
In what ways (Composition:
Mainly silica

are the three

layers The mantle
(Composition:
Average density:
2.7 g/cm3)
Heat
Rich in iron and
arranged? magnesium
Average density:
3.3 g/cm3)
Pressure Solid crust
Solid uppermost
Plas part of the mantle
tic
The core as
th
In general, layers (Composition: Rich
in iron and nickel
Solid en
o
with ( lighter / Average density: Crust lower

sp
11 g/cm3)
mantle

he
heavier ), ( less

re
dense / denser ) Mantle Liquid
minerals lie on the outer
Core core
top. Rich in iron
and Rich in iron
Solid
magnesium and nickel
1,000 - 3500°C 3500 - 4500°C inner
core
32
Tectonic plates – Broken pieces of lithosphere What are the characteristics of plates?
Plates are ( irregular / regular ) in shape.
They are of ( different / the same ) size and thickness.
Some carry both oceanic and continental crusts;
Eurasian Plate some carry oceanic crust only.
Juan de North
Okhotsk Fuca American
Hong Plate Plate
Plate
Kong
Arabian Caribbean Plate
Philippine
African Plate Plate Plate Eurasian Plate
Cocos
Plate
Pacific Plate South
American
Nazca Plate
Indo-Australian Plate
Plate
Nazca
Plate

Antarctic Plate Scotia Plate

Plate boundary Plate boundary

What are the characteristics of plates? What types of plate boundaries are there?
Plates move slowly in ( different / the same )
The border between two plates is called a _________
plate
directions.
____________.
boundary
There are three types of plate movements which give
Eurasian Plate
Juan de
three types of plate boundaries:
rise to _______
North
Okhotsk Fuca
American
Plate Plate
Plate
Two plates converge/move Plates slide horizontally past
Two plates diverge/move apart towards each other each other
Arabian Philippine Caribbean Plate
Plate Plate Cocos
African Plate Plate New crustal
material is
Pacific Plate South formed
American
Indo-Australian Plate
Nazca No crustal material is
Plate Plate
The denser plate
Asthenosphere sinks or subducts into formed or subducts and
the asthenosphere destroyed
Divergent
_____________ plate Convergent plate
_____________ Transform plate
_____________
Antarctic Plate
Scotia Plate boundary boundary boundary
(Constructive plate (Destructive plate (Conservative plate
boundary) boundary) boundary)
 What types of plate boundaries are there? Tectonic plates – plate movement

Eurasian Plate
Juan de
North
Okhotsk Fuca
American
Plate Plate
Plate

Arabian Philippine Caribbean Plate

Plate Plate Cocos
African Plate Plate

Pacific Plate South

American
Indo-Australian Plate
Nazca
Plate Plate
If the plates move in the directions
shown throughout the history,
Antarctic Plate
imagine how the continents will Scotia Plate

distribute in millions of years later.

Types of plate boundary

Why do the plates

move?
Why do plates move? Upper Mantle Convection
Mid Ocean
gravity
Plate movements are driven by ____________, Ridge
Subduction
Litho-
i.e. denser materials must sink whereas less dense Zone
sphere
materials must rise.
670 km Dis-
Mantle
continuity
Ridge push and slab Outer Core
Mantle convection:
pull:
the factor that triggers Whole Mantle Convection
the forces that
plate movement
drive plate movement Mid Ocean
Ridge
Subduction
Litho-
Zone
sphere

Mantle 670 km Dis-

Outer Core
continuity

Mantle convection — the factor that triggers Mantle convection — the factor that triggers
plate movement plate movement Mantle attached to the
lithosphere and form new
When oceanic lithosphere
oceanic lithosphere
becomes older, it cools,
contracts and becomes
denser. Finally it sinks

Mantle rocks rise up

as mantle plumes to
the cooler regions
le

le
ant

ant
le

le
ant

ant
er m

er m
er m

er m
Upp

Upp

Core Core
Low

Low

Heat is transferred through the rising

of hot, less dense rocks and the
sinking of the cool dense lithosphere.
 Experiment: Mantle convection
Mantle convection — the factor that triggers
plate movement Mantle attached to the
lithosphere and form new
When oceanic lithosphere
oceanic lithosphere
becomes older, it cools,
contracts and becomes
denser. Finally it sinks
le
ant

le
ant
er m

er m
Upp

Core
Low

Such mechanism of heat transfer is

called mantle convection.

Ridge push and slab pull — the forces that Ridge push and slab pull — the forces that
drive plate movement drive plate movement

Magma rises and fills up the fissures

Sea to form new crustal materials. An Sea The new crustal materials cool off,
up-swelling ridge is formed solidify and become a new part of
Continental crust Continental crust the oceanic lithosphere
Oceanic crust Oceanic crust

(Oceanic) (Oceanic)
Lithosphere Lithosphere
Lithosphere Lithosphere
Lithosphere
is fractured
Mantle plume rises
towards the surface
Asthenosphere Asthenosphere
Ridge push and slab pull — the forces that Ridge push and slab pull — the forces that
drive plate movement drive plate movement
This is called ridge push.
Sea As the new oceanic lithosphere Sea Due to gravity, the newly-formed part
cools and contracts, its density slides down from the two sides of the
Continental crust increases Continental crust ridge and pushes the rest of the
Oceanic crust Oceanic crust plates away from the ridge
(Oceanic) (Oceanic)
Lithosphere Lithosphere
Lithosphere Lithosphere

Asthenosphere Asthenosphere

Ridge push and slab pull — the forces that Ridge push and slab pull — the forces that
drive plate movement drive plate movement
The newly-formed part continues to
move away from the ridge
Sea As it moves away from the Sea
ridge, it gets thicker because it After millions of years, these
Continental crust merges with some of the rock Continental crust materials become a dense,
Oceanic crust Oceanic crust
materials in the asthenosphere heavy slab of plate
(Oceanic) (Oceanic)
Lithosphere Lithosphere
Lithosphere Lithosphere

Asthenosphere Asthenosphere
Ridge push and slab pull — the forces that Ridge push and slab pull — the forces that
drive plate movement drive plate movement
Please click the image below to view the animation
This is called slab pull.
Sea
This creates a suction force
Continental crust that pulls the rest of the
Oceanic crust
plate behind it
(Oceanic)
Lithosphere
Lithosphere
When this dense slab of
plate collides with
another plate, it sinks
into the asthenosphere
Asthenosphere

Some useful links

Ridge push and Slab
• General background and Continental drift
pull •
•
[Link]
[Link]
• [Link]

• Structure of the earth

• [Link]

• Plates and boundaries

• [Link]
• [Link]

• Slab Pull and Ridge Push

• [Link]

56