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    The Theory of Tectonic Plates 7.3

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    JAY-R PALLEGA
    The document summarizes the theory of plate tectonics, which proposes that the Earth's crust is divided into tectonic plates that slowly move over time. It describes how early scientists developed the continental drift theory and seafloor spreading theory. The key aspects of plate tectonics are that there are 7 major plates that move in different ways, and there are 3 types of plate boundaries - convergent, divergent, and transform - that form different geologic features like mountains, volcanoes, and ocean floors. Modern GPS technology is used to track the slow movement of tectonic plates.

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    The Theory of Tectonic Plates 7.3

    Uploaded by

    JAY-R PALLEGA
    66 views23 pages
    The document summarizes the theory of plate tectonics, which proposes that the Earth's crust is divided into tectonic plates that slowly move over time. It describes how early scientists developed the continental drift theory and seafloor spreading theory. The key aspects of plate tectonics are that there are 7 major plates that move in different ways, and there are 3 types of plate boundaries - convergent, divergent, and transform - that form different geologic features like mountains, volcanoes, and ocean floors. Modern GPS technology is used to track the slow movement of tectonic plates.

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    The document summarizes the theory of plate tectonics, which proposes that the Earth's crust is divided into tectonic plates that slowly move over time. It describes how early scientists developed the continental drift theory and seafloor spreading theory. The key aspects of plate tectonics are that there are 7 major plates that move in different ways, and there are 3 types of plate boundaries - convergent, divergent, and transform - that form different geologic features like mountains, volcanoes, and ocean floors. Modern GPS technology is used to track the slow movement of tectonic plates.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as ppt, pdf, or txt
    66 views23 pages

    The Theory of Tectonic Plates 7.3

    Uploaded by

    JAY-R PALLEGA
    The document summarizes the theory of plate tectonics, which proposes that the Earth's crust is divided into tectonic plates that slowly move over time. It describes how early scientists developed the continental drift theory and seafloor spreading theory. The key aspects of plate tectonics are that there are 7 major plates that move in different ways, and there are 3 types of plate boundaries - convergent, divergent, and transform - that form different geologic features like mountains, volcanoes, and ocean floors. Modern GPS technology is used to track the slow movement of tectonic plates.

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    The Theory of Plate

    Tectonics
    Continental Drift Theory
    • 1915 – Alfred Wegener (German Scientist
    • ‘continents are moving’
    • One large continent (supercontinent) –
    PANGAEA
    • could not explain the breaking up of
    Pangaea
    Continental Drift Theory
    Seafloor Spreading
    Theory
    • 1920 – mid-ocean ridges
    • Harry Hess – American geologist
    • Hot, less dense materials from the mantle
    rises to the surface along the mid-ocean
    ridges.
    • Convection currents
    Seafloor Spreading
    Theory
    Plate Tectonic Theory
    • 7 Major Plates
    • African, Antarctic, Eurasian, Indo-
    Australian, North American, Pacific, and
    South American
    • Plates moves slowly, 1-16cm a year
    Plate Tectonic Theory
    • 1. The Earth’s surface continues to
    change through time
    • Earthquakes occur to some places
    • Certain regions experience volcanic
    activities
    • Mountain ranges were located due to
    geologic activities
    The Theory of Plate Tectonics
     The Earth’s lithosphere (crust and upper
    mantle) is divided into tectonic plates.
     These plates move on top of the
    asthenosphere.
     We know that these plates move in
    different ways.
    Tectonic Plates
    Tectonic Plate Boundaries

     A boundary is a place where tectonic


    plates touch.
     There are 3 types of tectonic plate
    boundaries:
     Convergent- move toward each other
     Divergent- move away from each other
     Transform- move past each other
    The numbers on the map represent the rate at which plates are moving in
    centimeters.
    Plate Movement
    Convergent Boundary
    • When two plates collide, or move toward
    each other, the boundary is called convergent
    • There are 3 types of convergent boundaries,
    depending on what type of crust comes
    together.
    • Continental-continental-mountains form
    • Continental-oceanic- subduction zone-
    volcanoes
    • Oceanic-oceanic- subduction zone- volcanoes
    What forms at a Convergent
    Boundary?

    1. Continental meets continental


    2. MOUNTAIN RANGES form
    What forms at a Convergent
    Boundary?
     Dense oceanic crust sinks below the
    continental crust and sinks into the
    asthenosphere.
     This is a subduction zone.
     A VOLCANO forms
    What forms at a Convergent
    Boundary?
    ► One oceanic plate sinks below another oceanic plate.
    ► Another subduction zone
    ► A VOLCANO
    What forms at a Divergent
    Boundary
     Two tectonic plates move away from each other.
     On the sea floor at the mid-ocean ridge this is called
    sea floor spreading.
     As the plates move apart, magma rises to fill the gaps.
     The magma is cooled and forms new ocean floor.

    The volcanic country of Iceland,


    which straddles the Mid-Atlantic
    Ridge, offers scientists a natural
    laboratory for studying on land the
    processes also occurring along the
    submerged parts of a spreading
    ridge. Iceland is splitting along the
    spreading center between the North
    American and Eurasian Plates, as
    North America moves westward
    relative to Eurasia.
    Mid Ocean Ridge-
    Atlantic Ocean
    Divergent Boundary

    On-land exposure of the Sea Floor Spreading


    Mid-Atlantic Ridge in Iceland.
    What forms at a Transform
    Boundary?
    Two tectonic plates
    move past one
    another.
    Their edges are jagged
    and irregular.
    As they grind together
    and jerk, they slide
    past each other
    creating earthquakes.
    Transform
    Boundary
    Possible Causes of Plate
    Movement
    • Convection Currents: hot rock deep in the
    Earth rises, cooler rock sinks. This
    movement of magma causes plates to
    move
    • Ridge push
    • Slab pull

    • http://my.hrw.com/sh/hz5/0030289211/student/ch07/sec03/qc01/hz507_03_q01fs.htm
    Tracking Tectonic Plate Movement

    • Plates move very slowly, centimeters to inches a


    year.
    • GPS, Global Positioning System, measures the
    rate of movement.
    • Radio signals beam continuously from satellites
    to the Earth.
    • By recording the time it takes for the Ground
    station to move a given distance, scientists can
    measure the speed at which plates move.

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