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    Plate Tectonics

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    michaeldevid7890
    The document summarizes plate tectonics and the evidence that supports the theory of continental drift. It describes how Wegener originally proposed that the continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea that later broke apart. It discusses the evidence Wegener provided including fossil matches and matching rock formations between continents. It then explains how most scientists originally rejected Wegener's hypothesis because he could not explain how the continents moved. The emergence of the theories of seafloor spreading proposed by Harry Hess and the discovery of mid-ocean ridges provided the mechanism of plate tectonics to explain the movement of continents. It defines the three types of plate boundaries and provides examples of each: divergent, convergent and transform

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    Plate Tectonics

    Uploaded by

    michaeldevid7890
    18 views25 pages
    The document summarizes plate tectonics and the evidence that supports the theory of continental drift. It describes how Wegener originally proposed that the continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea that later broke apart. It discusses the evidence Wegener provided including fossil matches and matching rock formations between continents. It then explains how most scientists originally rejected Wegener's hypothesis because he could not explain how the continents moved. The emergence of the theories of seafloor spreading proposed by Harry Hess and the discovery of mid-ocean ridges provided the mechanism of plate tectonics to explain the movement of continents. It defines the three types of plate boundaries and provides examples of each: divergent, convergent and transform

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    The document summarizes plate tectonics and the evidence that supports the theory of continental drift. It describes how Wegener originally proposed that the continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea that later broke apart. It discusses the evidence Wegener provided including fossil matches and matching rock formations between continents. It then explains how most scientists originally rejected Wegener's hypothesis because he could not explain how the continents moved. The emergence of the theories of seafloor spreading proposed by Harry Hess and the discovery of mid-ocean ridges provided the mechanism of plate tectonics to explain the movement of continents. It defines the three types of plate boundaries and provides examples of each: divergent, convergent and transform

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    18 views25 pages

    Plate Tectonics

    Uploaded by

    michaeldevid7890
    The document summarizes plate tectonics and the evidence that supports the theory of continental drift. It describes how Wegener originally proposed that the continents were once joined together in a supercontinent called Pangaea that later broke apart. It discusses the evidence Wegener provided including fossil matches and matching rock formations between continents. It then explains how most scientists originally rejected Wegener's hypothesis because he could not explain how the continents moved. The emergence of the theories of seafloor spreading proposed by Harry Hess and the discovery of mid-ocean ridges provided the mechanism of plate tectonics to explain the movement of continents. It defines the three types of plate boundaries and provides examples of each: divergent, convergent and transform

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 25

    Plate Tectonics

    Continental Drift
    Wegener’s continental drift hypothesis
    stated that the continents had once been
    joined to form a single supercontinent.

    • Wegener proposed that the supercontinent,


    Pangaea, began to break apart 200 million
    years ago and form the present landmasses.
    Continental Drift
    Evidence:
    1. Jig-Saw Fit
    • Continents fit together like Puzzle pieces
    2. Fossil Evidence
    • fossils of same age and species were found in
    connecting bands on different continents
    3. Rock Types and Structure
    • Similar bands of rocks types and mountain belts
    connect
    4. Ancient Climates
    5. PANGAEA!
    Connecting Mountain
    Ranges
    The Earth
    Rejecting the Hypothesis
    • Most scientists rejected Wegener’s
    ground breaking hypothesis because he
    could not provide an explanation of how
    the plates moved
    • A NEW THEORY EMERGES!
    Seafloor Spreading
    • In Wegener’s theory, continents
    “plowed” through the sea like bull-
    dozers.
    – Not the case. Continents are actually
    connected to plates, which move
    • Continents actually move with
    lithospheric plates that are pushed by
    Mid-Ocean ridges
    Harry Hess
    • Discovered “Mid-Ocean Ridges
    – Spreading centers for tectonic plates
    • Noticed magnetic stripes on the ocean
    floor which proved that new crust was
    being created at these ocean ridges
    • Provided the mechanism for how the
    plates moved.
    Topographic Map of the
    World
    Plate Tectonics
    • The theory explaining how the movements of
    earth’s “TECTONIC PLATES” or “moving
    plates” create the geologic events like
    earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis.
    • Lithospheric Plates- giant puzzle pieces
    connecting on the surface of earth.
    – These sit on top of mantle so they can move
    around
    Plate Boundaries
    • Three types:
    – Divergent Boundary
    – Convergent Boundary
    – Transform Boundary
    Divergent Boundary
    Convergent Boundaries
    • Two plates crashing together
    • Collliding
    • Three types:
    – Continental to Continental
    – Ocean to Ocean
    – Ocean to Continental
    Continent to Continent
    collision
    • When two continents collide, you will get mountain
    ranges (Example: Himalayans where India crashing
    into Asia).
    Continent to Continent
    collision
    Ocean to Ocean
    Convergance
    • Two oceanic slab converge together. One is
    pulled under the other
    • Often forms volcanoes on seafloor
    – Volcanic Island Arcs
    • Aleutian Islands
    – Alaska
    Ocean to Ocean
    Convergent
    • Aleutian Island, Alaska, US
    Ocean to Continental
    Convergance
    • ALSO KNOWN AS SUBDUCTION ZONE
    • Oceanic plate is forced down into the mantle
    beneath a second continental plate
    • Creates volcanoes and deep ocean trenches
    – Examples Andes and Marianna Trench
    – Marianna Trench is deepest place in the WORLD!
    35,000 feet deep!!!!!
    Subduction Zone
    Subduction Zone
    process
    • Denser ocean slab pulled underneith
    continent
    • As it is pulled under, the oceanic crust
    begins to melt.
    • When crust begins to melt, magma rises
    • Magma rises to surface and creates
    volcanoes
    Transform Boundaries
    • Plates grind past each other without
    destroying or creating new lithosphere
    • Like cars passing each other on a highway
    • Creates tremendous earthquakes
    • Example: San Andreas Fault
    Transform Boundaries
    How do Plates Move?
    • The crust lies on top of the mantle.
    • It is believed that convection currents cause
    movement in the asthenosphere. Heat rises from
    interior.
    • Areas where the asthenosphere is raising causes
    plates to move apart (diverge) and areas where the
    asthenosphere is sinking causes plates to move
    together (converge).
    Why do plates move?
    • Clear answer is yet unknown
    • There are theories for “Ridge Push”,
    “Trench Suction”, and just plain old
    “Gravity”
    Hotspot (non tectonic)
    Hawaiian–Emperor seamount chain

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