GeographyYears 7–9Physical Geography

Plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes

Learn Plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes for Years 7–9 pupils (ages 11–14). Free practice questions, lessons and worked examples — aligned to the UK National Curriculum.

What you'll learn

  1. 1

    Earth's crust is broken into plates that move slowly on the mantle beneath. Most earthquakes and volcanoes occur at plate boundaries.

  2. 2

    Boundaries: constructive (plates move apart), destructive (one plate is forced under another), conservative (plates slide past each other).

  3. 3

    At which boundary do plates slide past each other?

  4. 4

    Earthquakes do not kill people directly — collapsing buildings, fires, landslides and tsunamis do.

  5. 5

    Two similar-magnitude earthquakes can have vastly different death tolls. Wealthier countries generally have enforced building codes, drills and rapid emergency response.

  6. 6

    What causes most tsunami?

  7. 7

    Why do people live near volcanoes despite the risk?

Practise Plate tectonics, earthquakes and volcanoes with Whizlo

Free AI-tutored lessons, unlimited practice questions, and progress tracking for ages 11–14. Aligned to the UK National Curriculum.