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Notes 2 - Plate Tectonics

The theory of plate tectonics states that the Earth's crust is separated into plates that move over the mantle. Plates or "tectonic plates" are massive pieces of lithosphere that glide over the mantle. As the mantle material circulates, it carries the plates along, causing their movement and the drifting of continents over time. This explains geological phenomena like volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain formation.

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100 views1 page

Notes 2 - Plate Tectonics

The theory of plate tectonics states that the Earth's crust is separated into plates that move over the mantle. Plates or "tectonic plates" are massive pieces of lithosphere that glide over the mantle. As the mantle material circulates, it carries the plates along, causing their movement and the drifting of continents over time. This explains geological phenomena like volcanoes, earthquakes, and mountain formation.

Uploaded by

Sabrina May Labrador
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS

 The theory of plate tectonics states that the Earth’s solid outer
crust, the lithosphere, is separated into plates that move over the
PLATES
asthenosphere, the molten upper portion of mantle.
 It explains how the crust was formed, moved and changed over  Plates or “tectonic plates” are massive pieces of
the years. It also helps to explain the origin of volcanoes, lithosphere (curst and upper most mantle) that glides
earthquakes and mountains. over earth’s mantle.

CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY


 Proposed by ALFRED WEGENER in 1912
 He hypothesized that the continents were moving or drifting away slowly.
 He proposed that, at one time, Earth had one giant landmass that split to form the
continents. He called the landmass meaning “all land”. He suggested that parts of
pangea drifted to their present position.

SEA FLOOR SPREADING


 During the 1950s and 1960s, scientist discovered that a large system of
underwater mountains called has a deep crack known
as rift valley that runs through the center.
 Scientist found out that the ocean crusts were spreading away from the mid-
ocean ridges, carrying the continents with them. They also discovered that a
great deal of volcanic and earthquake activity occurs at the mid-ocean ridges.

 The part of the mantle closer to the Earth’s core is much hotter than the part
farther from the core and closer to the lithosphere. The cooler material sinks
to the core while the hotter material rises. As the cooler material goes near the
core it becomes hot and eventually rises again.
 This circular motion carries the plates of the lithosphere along with it, thus
causing the continents to move.

DIVERGENT BOUNDARY
 When two plates move away from each other, a gap or rift between them is
created. If the gap eventually widens, it then evolves into a rift valley.
 Also called constructive boundary since new material is added to the plates.

CONVERGENT BOUNDARY
 Convergent boundaries occur when two plates slide toward each other and
form either a subduction zone (if one plate moves underneath the other) or
an orogenic belt (if the two simply collide and compress). An orogenic belt is
a region of deformed rocks.

TRANSFORM BOUNDARY
 In transform plate boundaries, the plates slide against one another in
opposite directions. No mountains or volcanoes are produced. Instead
earthquakes result from the movement of plates and release massive
amounts of energy

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