Topic F4: EARTH STRUCTURE AND GLOBAL TECTONICS Key Idea 2:The internal heat is the underlying cause of Earth’s lithospheric plate motions that control global geological processes Knowledge and Geological techniques Comments understanding and skills a. The uppermost part of Investigation of how the plate Candidates should be aware the mantle and the tectonics paradigm developed of the importance of the plate overlying crust form a over time, from continental drift, tectonic model in providing rigid outer shell of the through active mantle an underlying framework to Earth known as the convection carrying passive understand how the Earth lithosphere, forming tectonic plates, to modern works. tectonic plates, theories of the causes of plate underlain by a weaker movement (slab pull and ridge upper mantle zone push). known as the asthenosphere. The asthenosphere is evidenced by the seismological low velocity zone (LVZ). b. The lithosphere Interpretation of the evidence Teachers may find the consists of several for plate tectonic theory from: following resource useful in plates in relative the delivery of F4: direct measurement – motion. Three types of ocean floor drilling, relative plate boundary are movement using GPS recognised; divergent, global maps of the convergent (involving distribution of continents, subduction) and volcanoes, earthquake conservative. There is epicentres/foci, ocean a relationship between trenches and ridges, seismicity, volcanicity orogenic belts and and plate boundaries. palaeoecological /palaeoenvironmental zones seismic tomography an investigation of the geomagnetic/geoelectrial properties of rocks and minerals geothermal data (hot spots, heat flow). SP19: Investigation of the relationships between earthquake data (focal depth, magnitude and distance from plate boundaries) using data on Google EarthTM.
Topic F4: EARTH STRUCTURE AND GLOBAL TECTONICS Key Idea 2:The Earth’s internal heat is the underlying cause of lithospheric plate motions that control global geological processes Knowledge and understanding Geological techniques and skills Comments a. The uppermost part of the mantle and the overlying crust form a rigid outer shell of the Earth known as the lithosphere, forming tectonic plates, underlain by a weaker upper mantle zone known as the asthenosphere. The asthenosphere is evidenced by the seismological low velocity zone (LVZ). Investigation of how the plate tectonics paradigm developed over time, from continental drift, through active mantle convection carrying passive tectonic plates, to modern theories of the causes of plate movement (slab pull and ridge push). Candidates should be aware of the importance of the plate tectonic model in providing an underlying framework to understand how the Earth works. b. The lithosphere consists of several plates in relative motion. Three types of plate boundary are recognised; divergent, convergent (involving subduction) and conservative. There is a relationship between seismicity, volcanicity and plate boundaries. Interpretation of the evidence for plate tectonic theory from: direct measurement – ocean floor drilling, relative movement using GPS global maps of the distribution of continents, volcanoes, earthquake epicentres/foci, ocean trenches and ridges, orogenic belts and palaeoecological /palaeoenvironmental zones seismic tomography an investigation of the geomagnetic/geoelectrial properties of rocks and minerals geothermal data (hot spots, heat flow). SP19: Investigation of the relationships between earthquake data (focal depth, magnitude and distance from plate boundaries) using data on Google EarthTM. Teachers may find the following resource useful in the delivery of F4:
Geology%20Eduqas%20A%20level%20Guidance%20for%20Teaching%20word%20version.docx