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- Subject: Science
- AS: AS90731
- Level: 3
- Credits: 2
- External
3.5 Describe geological processes affecting New Zealand
Subject content
Make sure you have up-to-date course notes and don't forget to use them for your revision. And if you haven't got them see your teacher.
New Zealand refers to geographical New Zealand, its continental shelf area, and the tectonic plates on which it sits.
The geological processes that you may be tested on include:
- Plate tectonics:
- simple plate tectonic theory, including subduction zones, deep sea trenches, mid-oceanic ridges, and transform faults.
A wealth of information about New Zealand's geological processes can be found at the following two sites:
The Geological History of New Zealand
Geology and Mineral Resources
- simple plate tectonic theory, including subduction zones, deep sea trenches, mid-oceanic ridges, and transform faults.
- Seismic activity:
- the cause, nature, measurement, and distribution of earthquakes, and knowledge of P and S waves.
- including the description, detection, measurement, and use of P and S waves in locating earthquake epicentres and determining the nature of the Earth's internal structure.
- measurement of earthquakes is limited to the Richter and Modified Mercalli scales.
Click to view the latest New Zealand earthquake reports.
- Volcanic activity:
- types and location of dormant and active volcanoes and volcanic activity areas
- associated phenomena such as geothermal activity
- the relationship between magma type and volcanic features.
Mountain Maker, Earth Shaker has some great animations of the theories of geological processes. Check them out.
