From the Classrooms

Exploring Decimals

Tectonic Plates

The past weeks in science Year 5/6 have been studying earthquakes and how earthquakes occur. We have  learned how these devastating events are triggered. They are triggered by the tectonic plates converging, diverging and transforming. We have also looked at the structure of the earth; the crust, the outer mantle, the inner mantle, the outer core and the inner core.

There are 3 ways the tectonic plates can move and cause earthquakes. They are called; converge, diverge and transform. 1: Converging is when the tectonic plates collide and overlap. 2: Diverging is when the tectonic plates spread apart in the opposite direction to each other. 3: Transforming is when the tectonic plates scrape and rub against each other by one plate going up and the other going down.  

The tectonic plates move at the speed of your fingernails growth. The reason some earthquakes are devastating is because of the kinetic energy. Even though the plates move at a slow speed the energy is what causes the shaking and destruction.

By Oscar Blomfield & Bateson Pittman

Harmony Day