Deep earth processes

This unit is about understanding processes that continuously change the Earth's crust. The unit starts with minerals and magmatic and volcanic rocks, focusing on how they form and how volcanic activity is controlled by plate tectonics. It then goes on to investigate how rocks deform as a result of the forces of plate tectonics to form mountains or to split continents apart. The final part of the unit investigates how rocks become metamorphosed when they are pushed deep into continents by plate tectonics. At the end of this unit you will have an understanding of how plate tectonics control magmatism and metamorphism and how rocks deform to modify the crust.    These topics are essential for understanding geological processes and therefore the origin of continents and oceans and their hazards and resources.