Notes on plate tectonics plate tectonics states that the earths crust and upper mantle are broken into sections, called plates. What is tectonic plates and plate tectonics tectonic plates giant jigsawlike pieces of the earths crust. Continental drift, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics. According to the theory of plate tectonics, the earths lithosphere is broken into distinct plates which are. Continental drift, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics plate tectonics is a theory developed in the late 1960s, to explain how the outer layers of the earth move and deform. Indeed, the notion that the entire earths surface is continually shifting has profoundly changed the way we. The theory of plate tectonics explains most of the features of earths surface. New departures in structural geology and tectonics a white paper resulting from a workshop held at denver colorado, september 22nd and 23rd, 2002 sponsored by the tectonics program, earth sciences division, and national science foundation geoear. Continental drift and plate tectonics university of iceland. Principally it refers to the movement and interaction of the earths lithosphere. It explains plate tectonics as the driving force behind ongoing changes on earth. Putting these two words together, we get the term plate tectonics, which refers to how the earths surface is built of plates. The land mass broke apart, and the continents drifted to their. Plate tectonics grew out of a theory that was first developed in the early 20th century by the meteorologist alfred wegener.
Plate tectonics theory is taught in science classrooms around the world, but just 50 years ago it was a hotly contested theory. New crustal plate is formed at the midocean ridges and. Theory of plate tectonics maps of ancient lands plate tectonics and largescale interactions 1 1 earth is not like the other planets in the solar system. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in the theory of plate tectonics. Origins of plate tectonic theory earth science visionlearning. In other words, cooling of the mantle leads to plate tectonics while cooling of the core is responsible for mantle plumes. The word tectonics comes from the greek root to build. In 1912, wegener noticed that the coastlines of the east coast of south america and the west coast of africa seemed to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. A synopsis of plate tectonics james madison university. For 2 centuries, ideas had been formulated about how mountains, ocean basins, etc.
All continents were once connected as one large landmass now called pangaea. Worksheets are chapter 4 plate tectonics, science understanding strand year 9 earth space sciences, the theory of plate tectonics, example answers, active reading note taking guide science grade 6, study guide and reinforcement, level blue, activityworld map of plate boundaries. This includes the formation, movement, collision and destruction of plates and the resulting geological events such as seismicity, volcanism, continental drift, and. Jan 23, 2020 plate tectonics is the scientific theory that attempts to explain the movements of the earths lithosphere that have formed the landscape features we see across the globe today. The earths crust and part of the upper mantle are broken into sections, called plates which move on a plasticlike layer of the mantle. The theory has caused a revolution in the way we think about the earth. This module describes how the work of alfred wegener, harry hess, and others led to our understanding of plate tectonics. Tectonic plates are sections of the earths solid crust that float on top of the mantle. Plates are composed of the crust and a part of the upper mantle, these two parts together are called the lithosphere. We live on a layer of earth known as the lithosphere which is a collection of rigid slabs that are shifting and sliding into each other.
The plates float on the earths mantle and are constantly moving at a very slow rate. Where do crustal features, such as volcanoes and mountains, form on earth. The continental drift hypothesiscontinents have moved slowly to their current locations 1. Types of plate boundaries causes of plate motion andez mountain range rock formations convection currents transfer thermal. The crust is made up of six major plates and a number of minor ones.
Plate tectonics theory, diagrams, boundaries geology. We now know that, directly or indirectly, plate tectonics influences nearly all geologic processes, past and present. Along plate boundaries where two tectonic plates meet 3. Marvin herndon transdyne corporation san diego, california 921 usa september 30, 2005 abstract textbooks frequently extol plate tectonics theory without questioning what might be wrong with the theory or without discussing a competitive theory. Some life rode on diverging plates, became isolated, and evolved into new species. Plate pacific fiji plate plate e a s t p a c i f i r i d g e antarctic plate arabian plate eurasian plate eurasian plate iceland hot spot e a s t a f r i c a n r i f t mi di n d i n r i d g e s o ut h e a st i n di n ridge southwest indian ridge scotia plate sandwich plate m i da t l a nt i c r i g e easter island hot spot st. In 1912, wegener noticed that the coastlines of the east coast of south america and the west. Indeed, the notion that the entire earths surface is continually shifting has profoundly changed the way we view our world. The continents are carried on some of these plates. Since the theory of plate tectonics was first introduced, how far has the tectonic plate were standing on moved. Tectonics does not necessarily equal plate tectonics.
In the 1960s, scientists developed a revolutionary theory called plate tectonics. Think pair share how might the movement of tectonic plates affect climate. Plate tectonics it was from the continental drift theory, convection current theory and the theory of seafloor spreading, the theory of plate tectonics was formulated. These plates drift very slowly over the mantle below, which is. Glencoe science chapter resources plate tectonics includes. Sykes, isacks, and oliver all agreed to determine the order of authorship for seismology and the new global tectonics by lot after realizing it would take the hard work of all of them to stay on the leadingedge of seismological research involving plate tectonics. Kinematic evolution of the gulf of mexico and caribbean. The earths crust is made up of seven main tectonic plates and numerous smaller plates. They have three main hypotheses to explain plate movements.
The layer below the lithosphere is the asthenosphere. Plate tectonics is the key that unlocks many of the mysteries of our amazing planet. Plate tectonics is the theory that explains the global distribution of geological phenomena. By definition, the word plate in geologic terms means a large slab of solid rock. Plate tectonics is the theory that the outer rigid layer of the earth the lithosphere is divided into about a dozen plates that move across the earths surface relative to each other, like slabs of ice on a lake click picture below for a larger version. In this exercise, the students will examine the pattern of earthquakes and volcanoes at occur in the atlantic ocean.
The lithosphere lithosphere is comprised of the upper mantle and the. Textbooks explained these just like your textbooks explain plate tectonics, but they were mostly wrong. Plate boundaries are marked by numerous volcanoes and earthquakes. The idea that the earths crust is made up of huge tectonic plates that are floating on an ocean of molten hot magma seemed too fantastic to be believed. Geological features of divergent plate boundaries our mission is to provide a free, worldclass education to anyone, anywhere. The plate tectonics theory and mantle plume concept thus complement each other to ex. You answered they indicate where crust is moving together and diving down deeper into the mantle.
Over earths vast history, both gradual and catastrophic processes have produced enormous changes. In 1967, mckenzie and parker suggested the theory of plate tectonics. Fossils tell us when and where plants and animals once existed. Plate tectonics holds that the lithosphere, a layer of rigid material composed of the outer crust and the very top of the mantle, is divided into seven large plates and several more smaller plates. Plate tectonics glencoe worksheets lesson worksheets. Crust mantle core crust lithosphere plate movement the crust is broken into plates that move. Interactive textbook 125 plate tectonics section 3 name class date the theory of plate tectonics continued why do tectonic plates move. Plate tectonics map of the world, showing plates, boundaries, boundary types and more. The earth is composed of layers of different composition and physical properties, principally the solid central core, the fluid peripheral core, the viscous mantle, and the solid. Since the development of the theory, geologists have had to reexamine almost every aspect of. Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that attempts to explain the movements of the earths lithosphere that have formed the landscape features we see across the globe today.
These slabs are called tectonic plates and fit together like pieces to a puzzle. Finding identical or similar fossils in areas separated by vast distances were. We present a series of 14 updated tectonic reconstructions for the gulf of mexico and caribbean region since the jurassic, giving due attention to plate kinematic and palinspastic accuracy. There are many different categories or disciplines that make up the science of geology. The pattern of occurrence of these events is one of the key pieces of evidence for plate tectonics. The new model of horizontal movement of the continents was called plate tectonics. Plate tectonic theory both hesss discovery and wegners continental drift theory combined into what scientists now call the plate tectonic theory.
List and describe the evidence for the plate tectonics theory. New oceanic crust is formed through magma rising through the gap and cooling. In geologic terms, a plate is a large, rigid slab of solid rock. Seafloor spreading occurs at divergent plate boundaries which subsequently create midocean ridges. New crustal plate is formed at the midocean ridges and old crustal plate is destroyed at deep ocean trenches. It explains why earthquakes, volcanoes and mountain ranges are where they are.
Developed the theory of continental drift and was the first to propose the theory of plate tectonics 2. Development of plate tectonic theory timeline preceden. A neoproterozoic transition from single lid to plate tectonics also explains kimberlite ages, the neoproterozoic climate crisis and the neoproterozoic acceleration of evolution. Gifts that rock what are the most popular gift items in the geology. Plate tectonics plate tectonics is the unifying theory of geology and revolutionized geology cornerstone of earthsystem approach. Gifts that rock what are the most popular gift items in the store. The mantle contains hot molten rock magma heated by energy from the earths core. Mapping world plates helps students connect topography, earthquakes, volcanoes, and plates. The lithosphere lithosphere is comprised of the upper mantle and the crust, the outer shell of the earth. As plates move, the new crust gradually moves away from the ridge. The theory of continental drift was the first step toward plate tectonic theory, which became the foundation upon which modern geology is built. Theory of plate tectonics plate tectonics is the theory that pieces of the earths lithosphere are in slow, constant motion, driven by convection currents.
Big ideas our understanding of earth is continuously refined. Lithosphere is divided into plates that slide around on top of the slowly moving mesosphere tectonic plates it occurred after the breakup of pangaea, and since then the continents. Scientists do not know for sure what causes tectonic plates to move. Other life dispersed to new areas as continents reconnected, oceans narrowed, or chains of volcanic islands formed. Teaching plate tectonics with easytodraw illustrations is fun and effective. Convection cells three types of convergent boundaries oceanicoceanic oceaniccontinental continentalcontinental himalayan mountains unanswered questions. Plate tectonics underlined words and phrases are to be filled in by students on the notetaking worksheet.
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