This document provides revision materials for a Year 9 geography exam on volcanoes. It includes information on plate tectonics such as the four main types of plate boundaries (constructive, destructive, conservative, collision), and how each relates to volcanic activity. It also gives a case study on the 1997 eruption of the Soufrière Hills Volcano on the island of Montserrat in the Caribbean, which was caused by subduction at a destructive plate boundary. The document concludes with sample exam questions testing understanding of the materials presented.

1. Year 9 Geography Revision
St Ivo School Geography Department
www.geobytes.org.uk
REVISION FOR YEAR 9
VOLCANO EXAM
ST IVO SCHOOL GEOGRAPHY DEPARTMENT
Photos Courtesy of www.geographyphotos.com & R Chambers

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Structure Of The Earth

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Constructive
Plate
Boundary
At a constructive plate boundary, two plates
move apart. As the two plates move apart,
magma rises up to fill the gap. This causes
volcanoes at this type of boundary. However,
since the magma can escape easily at the
surface the volcano does not erupt with
much force.
E.g. Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

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A destructive plate boundary is found where a
continental plate meets an oceanic plate.
The oceanic plate subducts (sinks) under the
continental plate because it is denser. Friction
melts the plates. This melted plate is now hot,
magma. If it reaches the surface, the liquid
rock forms a volcano.
E.g. Nazca and South American Plate
Destructive
Plate
Boundary

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Conservative plate boundaries exist
where two plates slide past each.
No volcanoes are found along these
plate boundaries, but earthquakes do
occur.
E.g. San Andreas Fault, San
Francisco
Conservative
Boundary

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Collision boundaries occur when 2 continental
plates move together. This causes the material
between them to buckle and rise up, forming
fold mountains.
E.g. Himalayas
Collision
Boundary

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STRUCTURE OF A VOLCANO
Crater
Magma Chamber
Vent
Secondary Cone
Lava Flow
Steam, Ash, Gas
Volcanic
Bombs

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Fertile Soil e.g.
Mt Etna
Scientific Research
e.g. Mt St Helens
Geothermal Energy
e.g. Iceland
Minerals e.g. gold
and copper, Mt St
Helens
Tourism e.g. Mt
Fuji

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11. Year 9 Geography Revision
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• Montserrat is found in the Caribbean and is part of the
Leeward Islands.
• It is part of a island arc and was formed by volcanic
eruptions.
North American Plate
Montserrat Case Study

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After 2 years of rumbling a huge
eruption occurred on July 25 1997.
In July 1995 the dormant volcano
of Soufriére Hills started to
rumble back to life.
Montserrat is a Caribbean island
famous for beautiful beaches and
sea.
Background Information

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Underneath Montserrat the North
American plate is slowly being
forced under the Caribbean plate.
The lava was thick and it built up
at the top of the volcano in a
dome until it collapsed.
The Soufrière Hills Volcano
produces a thick sticky lava.
Montserrat is situated on a
destructive plate boundary.
Causes of the Eruption

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Airport was evacuated and
closed.
A total of at least 4 square
kilometres of land was
covered by the pyroclastic
flows and surges.
People evacuated to the
north of the island.
Capital City (Plymouth)
almost totally destroyed and
evacuated.
19 people killed and many
more injured.
Destroyed between 100 -150
houses.
About 8000 residents left the
island to live somewhere
safer.
Rich farmland destroyed by
mudflows and covered by
layers of ash.
The southern part of the
island is off limits and people
are fined if they are found
there.
Effects of the Eruption

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INSTRUCTIONS
There are 10 questions for you to have a go
at – as you work through the slides, write
down the number of the question and your
answer.
At the end of the 10 questions – there are
slides with the correct answers on for you
to check your answers – GOOD LUCK!

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Question 1.
Which of the following is an example of a
volcanic eruption?
a. Montserrat – 1997
b. San Francisco – 1989
c. Kobe – 1995
d. Tokyo - 1919

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Question 2.
Montserrat occurred at a..
a. destructive boundary
b. constructive boundary
c. collision boundary
d. conservative boundary

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Question 3.
Re-arrange the following to give the correct
order explaining the eruption of a volcano
a. friction between plates and heat from the
earth causes melting of the oceanic plate
b. two plates move towards each other
c. subduction of the lighter oceanic plate
occurs
d. molten magma rises and erupts

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Question 4.
A constructive boundary is..
a. where two plates move side by side
b. where two plates move together
c. where two plates move away from
each other.

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Question 5.
Which of these does NOT occur at
a constructive boundary?
a. a mid ocean ridge
b. volcanoes
c. earthquakes
d. fold mountains

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Question 6.
At this boundary two plate move apart
from each other
a. collision boundary
b. constructive boundary
c. destructive boundary
d. conservative boundary

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Question 7.
At this boundary two plates of
continental crust meet
a. collision boundary
b. constructive boundary
c. conservative boundary
d. destructive boundary

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Question 8.
Here an oceanic and continental plate
move together..
a. destructive Boundary
b. constructive boundary
c. conservative boundary
d. collision boundary

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Question 9.
The outer layer of the earth is called
the..
a. crust
b. mantle
c. core

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Question 10.
This process occurs where two plates
meet together..
a. precipitation
b. subduction
c. transpiration
d. divergence

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Question 1.
Which of the following is an example of a
volcanic eruption?
a. Montserrat – 1991
b. San Francisco – 1989
c. Kobe – 1995
d. Tokyo - 1919
Answers Slide

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Question 2.
Montserrat occurred at a..
a. destructive boundary
b. constructive boundary
c. collision boundary
d. conservative boundary
Answers Slide

31. Year 9 Geography Revision
St Ivo School Geography Department
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Question 3.
Re-arrange the following to give the correct
order explaining the eruption of a volcano
a. friction between plates and heat from the
earth causes melting of the oceanic plate
b. two plates move towards each other
c. subduction of the lighter oceanic plate
occurs
d. molten magma rises and erupts
Answers Slide
3
1
2
4

32. Year 9 Geography Revision
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Question 4.
A constructive boundary is..
a. where two plates move side by side
b. where two plates move together
c. where two plates move away from
each other.
Answers Slide

33. Year 9 Geography Revision
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Question 5.
Which of these does NOT occur at
a constructive boundary?
a. a mid ocean ridge
b. volcanoes
c. earthquakes
d. fold mountains
Answers Slide

34. Year 9 Geography Revision
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Question 6.
At this boundary two plate move apart
from each other
a. collision boundary
b. constructive boundary
c. destructive boundary
d. conservative boundary
Answers Slide

35. Year 9 Geography Revision
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Question 7.
At this boundary two plates of
continental crust meet
a. collision boundary
b. constructive boundary
c. conservative boundary
d. destructive boundary
Answers Slide

36. Year 9 Geography Revision
St Ivo School Geography Department
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Question 8.
Here an oceanic and continental plate
move together..
a. destructive Boundary
b. constructive boundary
c. conservative boundary
d. collision boundary
Answers Slide

37. Year 9 Geography Revision
St Ivo School Geography Department
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Question 9.
The outer layer of the earth is called
the..
a. crust
b. mantle
c. core
Answers Slide

38. Year 9 Geography Revision
St Ivo School Geography Department
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Question 10.
This process occurs where two plates
meet together..
a. precipitation
b. subduction
c. transpiration
d. divergence
Answers Slide