Tectonic Plates Research Paper

Tectonic Plates Research Paper
The earth is made up of land masses under the crust called tectonic plates. These tectonic plates sit on the upper mantle and lower crust also known as
the lithosphere. Tectonic plates are always moving because of the magma churning underneath them in convection currents. Because the tectonic plates
are always moving it can cause plates to run into each other which means that one must give way to the other and slide under this can create mountain
ranges as the pressure has to do somewhere, this is called a subduction zone this usually occurs with one oceanic plate being pushed under a
continental plate. Plates can also slide beside each other and get stuck so pressure builds up and then they will quickly slide past which can cause very
major earthquakes to cities along the plate margins, this is the main cause of earthquakes this is called sliding plates.
Diagram 1 (http://www.divediscover.whoi.edu/tectonics/tectonics–slide.html)
Sliding Plates (refer to Diagram 1) occur when two plates at a margin cannot move past each other easily so the two plates lock against each ... Show
more content on Helpwriting.net ...
P waves or primary waves are the first waves that a read on a seismograph because P waves travel faster that S waves. P waves are longitude waves
which means that the vibrations are sent out in the same way as the direction of travel. S waves or Secondary waves are the second reading on a
seismograph as they travel slower. S waves are diverse waves which means that are at a right angle to the direction of travel. Both waves can be
detected close to the earthquake centre but only P waves can be detected on the other side of earth as P waves can travel through solids and liquids but S
waves can only travel through solids.
... Get more on HelpWriting.net ...

Tectonic Plates Worksheet
University of Phoenix Material
Effects of the Motions of Tectonic Plates Worksheet
From Visualizing Earth Science, by Merali, Z., and Skinner, B. J, 2009, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Copyright 2009 by Wiley. Adapted with permission.
Part 1
This diagram was similar to one Alfred Wegener drew to show the distribution of continents 300 million years ago. His theory of continental drift was
met with skepticism in the scientific community.
[pic]
1. Describe three forms of evidence Wegener used to support his ideas of continental drift. Wegner suggested that the continental shelves of the
continents seemed to fit together similar to a puzzle. According Bugielski (1999), "continents in the southern hemisphere exhibit an ... Show more
content on Helpwriting.net ...
Questions were raised when rocks were found on the surface of the Earth that had manetization the did not corralate to the location that it was found.
Also, Harry Hess suggested that the continents could have drifted and still were because the sea floor was moving much like a conveyor. (Bugielski,
1999).
Bugielski, M. (1999). The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Retrieved from http://loki.stockton.edu/~hozikm/geol/Courses/The%20Earth
/Content%20Web%20Pages/Bugielski/webpage.htm
[pic] [pic]
Refer to the images above. Discuss in detail the two pieces of additional evidence that supported Wegener's theory, now known as the theory ofplate
tectonics.

Part 2
Write paragraph answers to the following questions using what you have learned from Visualizing Earth Science and the assigned WileyPlusВ®
GeoDiscoveriesВ®.
1. How does the motion of the tectonic plates affect the climate?
It is thought that the change in ocean currents is caused by plate tectonics generating more heat. It is said that the increased volcanic eruptions from
plate tectonics causes a greater release of carbon and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere. This raises the temperature around the world. (Raunekk, 2010).
Raunekk, . (2010). BriteHub. Retrieved from http://www.brighthub.com/environment/science–environmental/articles/74098.aspx
2. How does the motion of the tectonic plates

Plate Tectonics Essay
Plate Tectonics
Ever since the beginning on time, Humans believed the ground is solid and immobile. But this is not true whatsoever. The Earth is every–changing and
continually in motion. The stability of the Earth is not at all what we think it is. Thinking about the rotational axis of the Earth, and possibly of what
the Earth may become at a certain point in time, has a great influence on understanding all aspects of living things, either in the past, present, or future.
The Theory of Plate tectonics is accredited to most of the creations of Mountain Ranges, the Centennial drifting Theory, for earthquakes, and volcanic
activity. Plate tectonics and mountains also play a big part in the Earth and its geological features. Geophysics, ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
The core is the last layer of the Earth, which is broken down into the liquid outer core and the solid inner core. The inner core is about thirteen hundred
kilometers thick and the outer core is about twenty–three hundred kilometers thick. A nickel–iron alloy mixture makes up the outer core, and the inner
is almost all composed of iron. It is believed that the Earth's magnetic field is controlled by the outer core (Fowler p478) The Earth is separated in
layers based on composition and mechanical properties. The top layer is the lithosphere, which is comprised of the solid upper mantle and the crust. It
is divided into plates that move due to tectonic forces. The lithosphere floats on top of a semi–liquid layer that is called the asthenosphere. The
asthenosphere allows the lithosphere to move around since it is much weaker (Tarbuck p605). Early scientist believed that one huge supercontinent
existed over two hundred million years ago. The name for this supercontinent is Pangaea. Pangaea was broken in to several pieces, and each piece
was a part of the lithosphere. They believed that the pieces of Pangaea formed the continents that we know of in present day geology. When Pangaea
existed, the rest of the Earth was covered by an ocean called Panthalassa. Eventually, Pangaea split into two land masses, Laurasia to the north and
Gondwanaland to the south. The theory of plate tectonics does in fact have an explanation for the movement of

Plate Reactionics And Plate Tectonics
Plate tectonics, plate tectonics are a theory explaining the structure of the earth and rarely resulting in the interaction of stiff lithospheric plates that
move slowly over the lurking mantle below. Plate tectonics has been around for about 3.2 million years, and still continues now. What does it do? Well
plate tectonics are several plates that skim the top of the mantleВґs bumpy interior layer on top of the core. The plates act like a solid and stiff frame in
comparison to earth's mantle. The outer layer of the earth is called the lithosphere; the lithosphere is the strongest, toughest layer of the earth. Plate
tectonics are a stylish way of continental drift. Continental drift is an assumption of the continents once moving around earth created by Alfred
Wegener. Although we don't physically observe plate tectonics happening, it has definitely affected many things, created many things, and destroyed
many things. Over time we see what plate tectonics have done. I am going to be explaining how plate tectonics have shaped volcanoes, how plate
tectonics has shaped mountains and also how it has constructed earthquakes. Usually when the plates being forced together or being yanked volcanos
are being formed. Have you ever noticed how volcanoes usually take place in the same spot as earthquakes? When the tectonic plates move apart from
each other, burning hot magma rises and fills the empty areas in between. When the tectonic plates become one, one of the tectonic plates

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Theory (Part 1a) Introduction: The Beginning of the "Continental Drift Theory" In the middle of the eighteenth
century, James Hutton proposed a theory, uniformitarianism; "the present is the key to the past". It held that processes such as geologic forces–
gradual and catastrophic–occurring in the present were the same that operated in the past. (Matt Rosenberg, 2004) This theory coincides with the theory
of Continental Drift that was first proposed by Abraham Ortelius in December 1596, who suggested that North, South America, Africa and Eurasia
were once connected but had been torn apart by earthquakes and floods. He also discovered that the coasts of the eastern part of South America and the
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Water from the south then flowed in over time, thus forming the evaporites now found along the coastlines there. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013)(Figure 5)
However, Wegener believed that only the continents were moving and they plowed through the rocks of the ocean basins. (Colliers Encyclopedia,
1996) Harold Jeffreys then argued that it is impossible for continents to break through solid rock without breaking apart. (USGS, 2012) Wegener also
claimed that the centrifugal force of the spinning planet had forced the continents sideways, parallel to the equator; tidal pull from the sun and moon
had caused lateral movement. (Sant, Joseph, 2012) His orders of magnitude were too weak. Thus, his theory was dismissed. (Lois Van Wagner, 2013)
Further development and support of the "Continental Drift Theory" in the 1960s After World War 2, the U.S. Office of Naval Research intensified
efforts in ocean–floor mapping, leading to the discovery of the Mid–Atlantic Ridge to be part of a continous system of mid–oceanic ridges on all ocean
floors, prompting Harry H. Hess to suggest the theory of sea–floor spreading. The oldest fossils found in ocean sediments were only 180 million years
old and little sediment were accumulated on the ocean floor. Thus, he suggested that seafloors were no more than a few hundred million years old,
significantly younger than continental land due to

Plate Tectonics Research Paper
Have you ever wondered why our continents are in the positions that they are in today? Plate Tectonics can be used to explain the movement of the
plates and the landforms they make. These landforms include mountains, volcanoes, rift valleys, and much more that are made by convergent and
divergent boundaries. The plates are moved by the convection currents below the surface which is caused by a heat source, the mantle. Another
landform that is made is a mid–ocean ridge, at which sea floor spreading is taken place, and allows magma to rise and harden on the ocean floor.
Two different types of landforms that form at convergent boundaries are mountains and volcanoes. Mountains, such as Mount Everest and K2, are
formed when two continental plates collide, which causes the landforms to rise. Volcanoes, such as Mount Saint Helens and Mount Fuji, forms when
the more dense oceanic plate subducts under the less dense continental plate and is driven down into the hot asthenosphere. Subducted plate melts due
to extreme heat and friction. Melted plate rises up through the crust, where it reaches the surface and cools. Those weak spots allow the magma to
come out, forming into lava. There are also volcanic island arcs, which form when two oceanic plates collide, and continental volcanic arcs, which
forms when an ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Mid–Ocean Ridges, such as the Mid–Atlantic Ridge, are formed when two oceanic plates move away from each other, allowing magma to rise up
from inside the Earth. The magma reaches the bottom of the ocean, turns into lava and cools, forming new rock. This cycle continues constantly
spreading the sea floor and adding new material along this chain of mountains. Rift Valleys, such as Baikal Rift Valley, are formed when two
continental plates move away from each other, stretching out the crust, until it begins to break. As crust is stretched wider, the valley drops

Plate Tectonics
pg. 1
Plate tectonics is the theory that has been studied for over thirty years that states that the outside layer of Earth are actually large plates, approximately
forty kilometers thick, that slide across the magma beneath the exterior of the planet. The theory of plate tectonics explains the enormous amount of
volcanic and seismic activity surrounding certain areas of the world, stating that the sliding of these plates either away from each other, sliding past
each other, or sliding into each other and causing one of the plates to slide beneath the other. When the plates slide away from each other, new ocean
floor is formed. When the plates slide past each other, minor earthquakes will occur. When the plates slide toward each other and... Show more content
on Helpwriting.net ...
The famous Canadian geologist, J. Tuzo Wilson, was the first to speculate why there was volcanic activity in the middle of a tectonic plate in
1963. Wilson was the first to speculate about the hot spots, or thermal plums. The theory of hot spots is supported by the Hawaiian islands which
are located in the middle of the Pacific Ocean plate, also known as the Ring Of Fire due to the increased volcanic activity surrounding the plate.
Because the plate has been shifting since the beginning of time, the plate has gradually slid by the hot spot, slowly forming islands across the ocean.
One of the earliest islands, Kauai, has magma sediment from over 5.5 million years old, and the newest island, Loihi, which is still submerged
beneath the ocean and has yet to reach the surface but still is 8,000 feet tall from the bottom of the ocean. The comparison of these islands shows the
gradual movement of plates above the hot spot due to the gradual aging of the sediment rock on the islands, gradually decreasing in age starting with
Kauai.
The difference between volcanoes formed through hot spots compared to those formed by submerging tectonic plates is that the magma released in
volcanoes from hot spots has different characteristics than other volcanoes. For instance, the magma is released due to its ability to continually break
through the lithosphere, rather than being pressured by the sliding of the tectonic plates. Both types of volcanoes are similar because of the fact that
they both are temporary features on the planet due to the constant motion of the plates and the cooling of the lithosphere beneath the tectonic

Bathymetry Plate Tectonics
Discuss how are knowledge of bathymetry has increased our understanding of plate tectonics? Bathymetry is the study of Floor Ocean. The earth is
covered by 70.8% of water; this includes oceans, lakes, and seas. Bathymetry is created to know information on water behavior for safety when
navigating on the surface or below the water. One of the methods being used today is the echo sounders which makes use of sound beneath the water;
and together with the GPS is it possible to give a report of the features of underwater. Also maps are important to scientist to learn more about the
climate change on the environment. The ocean begins, of course, at the shore, the irregular boundary where the surface of a continent descends first to
sea level and

Plate Tectonics Paper
Running Head: Plate Tectonics Paper
Plate Tectonics Paper
University of Phoenix
Plate Tectonics Paper Earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains and the Earth's crust are unique yet have one common denominator; the amazing topic of
plate tectonics. Plate tectonics has a place or specifically places a role in each of these natural wonders of the world. In the following, Team C will
discuss the theory of plate tectonics and how the theory shaped the form and composition of the movement within the Midwest region of the United
States. A discussion of various geological events and the types of rocks that formed because of these events will also be covered including the
importance of the economic value of these rocks to the Midwest region ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
movement was felt as far away as South Carolina and Massachusetts to the east, Louisiana to the south and Canada to the north. The Midwest also
underwent "a complete cycle of continental rifting, ocean opening and collision that created the Ouachita orogenic system" as North America was
created during the late Proterozoic and Paleozoic. This cycle created the Arkansas–Oklahoma Ouachitas and Arbuckle (Oklahoma) mountain ranges
(Aber, 2003).
Various types of rocks
The New Madrid Seismic Zone is also known as the New Madrid Fault Line. A fault is a thin zone of crushed rock that separates the Earth's crust.
Whenever an earthquake takes place, it occurs on one of the faults. Then the rock on one of the sides slips with respect to the other. The fault line is
made up of reactivated faults. The reactivated faults formed when North America began to separate. Faults were formed next to rift and igneous
rocks were formed from the magma that was pushed up to the surface (Wapedia (2010). The rift was covered with younger sediments. The sediments
that covered the rift included Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary rocks of the Mississippi embayment. Large amounts of the sediment was loosely
consolidated, soft and sandy as a result of the ground shaking, ground deformation, slides, slumps, and liquefaction. A mass of intrusive igneous rock
(also known as pluton, mass of igneous rock and a deep reservoir of magma)

Plate Tectonics ( 20 Points )
Question 1: Plate Tectonics (20 points)
Plate tectonics is a theory where earth's crust in the lithosphere is made up of plates that float on a hot layer of molten magma in the asthenosphere, and
moves constantly and under different circumstances causes mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes to appear.
With the evidence of plate tectonics and fossils, it is believed that about 225 million years ago, all the major continents had formed one giant continent
known as Pangaea. However, due to possible heat build up underneath the giant continent, Pangaea broke up thus splitting up populations of plants and
animals. With the rift, ocean waters filled the areas that once were the giant continent, therefore separating these continents. To this day, landmasses
continue to move apart, riding upon their respective plates. The movement of earth's twelve major tectonic plates helped determine the position and
shape of the continents for millions of years. Where the plates meet, and its motions determine the type of boundary. There are four types of boundaries
where activity of plate tectonics can be found: divergent, convergent, collisional, and transform boundaries.
A divergent boundary in plate tectonics is also known as a constructive boundary. It exists when two tectonic plates are moving away from each other
and create rift valleys. This usually occurs between oceanic plates. The sea floor spreading is an example of divergent boundaries. An underwater chain
of mountains

The Theory Of Plate Tectonics
Plate tectonics is the theory that the Earth's crust is divided into large and small plates that move slowly over time. The Earth's lithosphere is made up
eight major plates which include the Africa Plate, Antarctic Plate, Indo–Australian Plate, Australian Plate, Eurasian Plate, North American Plate, South
American Plate, and the Pacific Plate. Earth also has dozens of smaller, minor plates (Plate Boundaries). Scientists used this theory to explain what is
happening on Earth's surface. The movement of plate tectonics creates many plate boundaries that have formed landscape features we see on Earth
today such as volcanoes and mountains among many other features. The theory of plate tectonics helped geologists to apprehend how the continents
are in the position that they are today as well as how landscape features are created. The theory of continental drift is that all of the world's
continents were once a single continent called Pangaea, which slowly drifted apart over time forming the seven continents that we have today. This
theory was proposed by Alfred Wegener, a German Meteorologist, in 1912. Wegener gathered several pieces of evidence that supported his theory of
continental drift. Wegener's first piece of evidence was that the shape of Earth's continents seem to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. For example,
Africa's West Coast nearly fit with South America's East Coast. A second piece of evidence that supported Wegener's theory are glacial till deposits

Divergent Plates Are Formed From Plate Tectonic Plates
I know that mountains are created from plate tectonics. Convergent plates are made out of the lithosphere. The lithosphere is the rocky outer part of
Earth containing the crust (the thin layer of rock under the land) and the mantle (a layer of mostly silicate rock that is directly under the crust).
Convergent plates are tectonic plates that collide and scrape against each other to form geological features such as mountains and volcanoes. Mountains
and volcanoes form when one convergent plate slides under another one, causing a subduction zone. A subduction zone is a geological process that
takes place at a convergent plate boundary. One plate moves under the other and is forced to sink because of the gravity in the mantle. When this
happens, molten rock (lava) is forced to the surface. This causes volcanoes to form. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Mountains can also form when convergent plates smash into each other. Furthermore, stream erosion made a path for the river that runs through the
Rocky Mountains. I can infer that water collected on the ground and then slowly trickled down a slope, carrying rock and sediments away with it.
Overtime, more and more rain/water collected in the stream which made it grow wider. Now, a long, wide, and deep river has formed. Finally, I can
see where abrasion could have made the bottom of the mountains smooth and curved. I think that pieces of rock could have fallen off some of the
mountains in the Rocky Mountain Range (maybe due to ice wedging). When they fall, they rub on the base of the mountains. This chips part of the
rock off and smooths it

Plate Tectonics: How Do Plates Move?
Plate tectonics is a major subject, and it can be broken down into multiple smaller subjects. One of these subjects would be plate boundaries. There are
three different types of boundaries. What are these boundaries? How do the boundaries move? What are the results of these boundaries? These are
some commonly asked questions. Here are the different boundaries, how they move, and the results they have on Earth. The first boundary is the
divergent boundary. Divergent boundaries occur when two tectonic plates pull away from each other, or move apart. These tectonic plates move
because, "the intense heat in Earth's core causes molten rock in the mantle to move," ("How Do Plates Move?" Page 1). The molten rock then breaks
into the Earth's surface causing one of the plate boundaries to occur. Divergent boundaries usually occur ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Transform boundaries occur when "two tectonic plates slide along each other," ("Transform Boundaries" Page 3). Just like divergent and convergent
boundaries, "the tectonic plates move because the heat in Earth's core causes molten rock in the mantle to move." ("How do plates move?" Page 1).
This causes the molten rock to then push up into Earth's crust, making one of the plate boundaries occur. Transform boundaries usually occur on land.
The most famous example of a transform boundary would be "the San Andreas Fault," ("Transform Boundaries" Page 3). Transform boundaries cause
earthquakes to occur. In conclusion, plate tectonics is a large subject broken down into smaller subjects. The smaller subject I chose was plate
boundaries. The three different boundaries are the divergent boundaries, the convergent boundaries, and the transform boundaries. All these boundaries
move in different ways, and they all have different outcomes on the surface, and sometimes below the surface, of Earth. These boundaries and their
outcomes are the reason Earth's plates are shaped and positioned how they are

How Plate Tectonics Discovered
In this essay I will be telling you about plate tectonics. In my first paragraph, I will be talking about how plate tectonics were discovered. Plate
tectonics is theory that earth's outer shell divided into severally. The mantle plates that glide over the mantle is the rocky inner layer above the core.
The plates act like a hard and rigid shell compared to earth's mantle.The strong outer layer is called litosphere.
Developed from 1950's to 1970's, plate tectonics is the modern version of continental drift .This theory was first proposed by scientist Alfred Wegener
in 1912. Plate tectonics is the unifying theory of geology that explains the structure of the earth's crust.
The earth's surface is broken into many different sections called plates.

Earth surface if ever changing. There are earthquakes and volcanoes that happen every year all over the Earth. The theory of plate tectonics helps to
explain how these changes happen. Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that describes the movement of Earth's lithosphere which is the outer crust or
Earth's surface. The Theory of Plate tectonics states that the Earth's crust is divided into many large and some smaller plates that move horizontal to
each other. These plates move across the asthenosphere, which is a more pliable surface compared to the lithosphere (Kious). The theory is relatively
new and was developed in the 1950's and early 60's. The theory builds off of Alfred Wegners concepts of continental drift. Alfred Wegner was a
German meteorologist and geophysicist and in 1912 he developed the idea that Earth's continents were once a large supercontinent, which he named
Pangaea, that had fractured and slowly drifted apart from each other (Trujillo, Pg 36). Wergner had observed from maps that the coastlines of the
continents of Africa and South America matched. He also observed that many fossils, plant life, and minerals matched up on the different contents.
This is what led Wergner to the concept of continual drift ("Birth of a Theory"). Wergner's theory was not widely accepted by others during this time. It
was Wergner's theory on how the continents moved through the ocean basins and the fact that he did not have a strong theory on how thick continental
plates

Plate Tectonics And Its Impact On The Earth
Plate tectonics occur not only just on Earth, but on other planets in the galaxy as well, such as Venus, Mars, and ancient Mercury. Since there are
several planets in the Milky Way that have plate tectonics, it is questionable about if size is a key factor in the likelihood of tectonics on foreign
planets. Vol–canoes, mountains, ocean ridges, earthquakes, and tsunamis all would not be possible without the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates.
Dependent upon heat for movement, tectonic plates are one of the victims of Earth's active life. Since the Earth is not static in movement, landforms
are moved and shifted slowly but surely each day. It is questionable if hydration and planet size are significant factors in the likelihood of plate tectonics
on super–Earths.
Tectonism is the moving and deformity of the exterior layer of a planet caused by heat loss. The constant movement of molten lava in the planet's
interior causes plate tectonics, and some planets in modernity still have active tectonics, such as Earth, Mars, and Venus. As for Mercury and the
Moon, the two have been tectonically active in the past, but still have features on their surfaces which exemplify plate tectonics to have once existed
(USRA, 2009). Scientists are starting to study the hypothesis that the size of a planet and the amount of water it possesses affects the likelihood of
plate tectonics on a planet, including planets like super–Earths. A super–Earth is a foreign planet that is ab–normally larger

Theories of Plate Tectonics
According to the theory of plate tectonics there is constant motion in the lithosphere which causes the many plates lying upon it to move relatively to
one another due to convection currents. There are 3 boundaries where volcanic and seismic events, but not limited to, occur. The constructive plate
boundary is where 2 plates, such as the North American plate and the Eurasian plate move apart causing sea–floor spreading and volcanic activity –
when the less dense basaltic lava from the asthenosphere rises and forms new crust. The destructive plate margin is where dense oceanic plate is
subducted under a continental plate forming a sea trench and fold mountains (e.g. the Nazca plate suducting under the South American plate has
formed the Peru–Chile trench and the Andes Mountains); when two oceanic plates converge subdution begins. This forms ocean trenches and island
arcs (e.g. the Pacific plate is being subducted under the Philippine plate forming the Marianas Trench and the volcanic islands Guam and Marianas.
Seismic activity also occurs along the subducting plate being melted. Fold mountains are also formed when 2 continental plates converge, there is no
subdution and no volcanic activity, however, the movement of the plates can cause shallow–focus earthquakes. This convergence is also referred to as
collision zones. A prime example is the Indo–Australian plate being forced northwards into the Eurasian plate forming the Himalayas range. The final
plate boundary is the

The theory of plate tectonics says the lithosphere is split into different plates that move around on top of the surface of the Earth. Though it is just a
theory geologic time, ocean trenches, seafloor spreading, mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes are all examples of evidence that support the theory of
plate tectonics. Geologic time shows sediment patterns in different layers of the Earth. Geologic time is separated in three main periods called the
Cenozoic Era, the Paleozoic Era, and the Mesozoic Era. These periods are determined based on the fossils found in each layer of sediment.
Antarctica and India share many of the same fossils in sediment. This supports the theory of plate tectonics because it shows that at one point India
and Antarctica were close enough to share similar living things like plants that later became fossilized. An ocean trench is a steep depression in the
bottom of the ocean. Ocean trenches form when two oceanic plates meet and one sinks beneath the other one. Henry Hammond Hess' hypothesis on
seafloor spreading says the seafloor is made at ridges and destroyed at continents. To go further in depth, the sea floor is made when oceanic plates
pull away from each other and magma rises up to create a new sea floor.
Mountains when two plate boundaries collide with each other. This process can also be called orogeny. Mountains form at subduction zones and can
form with two oceanic plates, two continental plates, and with one oceanic and continental.

plate tectonics Essay
Plate Tectonics
Ever since the beginning on time, Humans believed the ground is solid and immobile. But this is not true whatsoever. The Earth is every–changing and
continually in motion. The stability of the Earth is not at all what we think it is. Thinking about the rotational axis of the Earth, and possibly of what
the Earth may become at a certain point in time, has a great influence on understanding all aspects of living things, either in the past, present, or future.
The study of Plate tectonics is accredited to most of the creations of Mountain Ranges, the drifting of continents, earthquakes, and volcanic activity.
Plate tectonics and mountains also play a big part in the geological features of our planet or any planet for that ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net
...
Wegener was not the first one to realize that the continents looked like they could fit together because Magellan and other early explorers noticed this
also. However, he was the first person to realize that the Earth's surface has changed over time, and that continents that are not together now could have
possibly been joined together at some point in the past (Twiss p532).
Many people were against Wegener's theory because he did not really have an explanation for why the continents moved. During that time, geologist
believed the Earth possessed these features because the planet went through periods of cooling and heating. Anti–mobilists were people that were
against Wegener's theory. People who were in favor of Wegener were known as mobilists because they had seen proof of continental movement in the
Alps (Fowler p475).
In a few short years, Wegener's theory was denied. However, his theory was the first time the idea of continental movement was announced to the
science community. His theory laid the foundation for the advancement in twenty–first century plate tectonics. Years would pass and more evidence
became available to support the idea that plates were in fact in motion and changed over a period of time (Fowler p476).
After the Second World War, more information was discovered which supported the theory of plate tectonics. In the sixties, a bunch of seismometers
were installed to collect data on nuclear bombs, and these instruments sparked curiosity among

: Causes And Cause Of Tectonic Plates
Tectonic Plates
Cause of Earthquakes:
The earth we live on, is made up of many different materials and layers. 2 of these layers, are the earths crust and mante. The earths crust is the surface
of the earth; the outer shell. Just below this, lies the mantle. The mantle is made up of hot rocks, and together the crust and upper mantle, create the
lithosphere. The lithosphere is made up of large plates, called tectonics plates, which is the earth's crust divided. The plates are made of oceanic crust or
continental crust and range from approximately 80–400k thick. Thhese plates float on the upper mantle and move around in different direcrions. The
movement of pates is caused by something called converction currents. Convection currents happen in the magna and are caused through the cycle of
the hot magna rising to the top of the magna, while the cooler magna, which is closer the the crust, sinks down. This creates a movement, causing the
plates to move. This is where the term plate boundaries comes into context. There are three different plate boundaries; convergent, divergent and
transform and these are formed through the movement of the plates. When two plates move away from one another, this is called a divergent plate
boundary. As a result, rift valleys can be formed or volcanic islands. When the plates move apart, it creates a gap between the two, and lava rises to
fill this gap, creating volcanic areas. Most divergent boundaries happen between oceanic plates and can also

Plate Tectonics, And The World
Plate Tectonics,
And their relation to the world.
___
By Jillian Abreu
There are many ways that earthquakes, plate boundaries, volcanoes, seafloor spreading, the Earth 's core, convection currents, and subduction connect
to each other, but the main way they are all connected is by plate tectonics. It all starts with plate tectonics. A theory by Alfred Wagner said that
Pangaea, which is a land mass of all the continents combined, had been moved by continental drift to form the positions our continents are in now. This
led to the theory of plate tectonics. This theory stated that pieces of the Earth 's lithosphere are in slow, but constant motion, driven by convection
currents in the mantle. A reason that backed up this theory was... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The mantle is one of many layers of the Earth 's core. As you can see from the picture on the left, the first layer is the Earth 's crust, which
compared to earth, is like a sheet of paper wrapped around a basket ball. The next layer is the lithosphere. This layer is broken into plates, better
known as the tectonic plates mentioned earlier. The asthenosphere comes next, which is "weak" compared to the lithosphere. Since the layer is
hotter, the layer is more soft. As we get closer to the center, we look at the mantle. The mantle is made of thick, solid rock. The next layer is the outer
core. This core contains of liquid magma with much iron and nickel. Lastly, there is the inner core. This layer is so hot that the heat melts metal ores
into liquid magma. In this mantle, there are convection currents. Heat from the core causes convection currents to slowly move the Earth 's crust
around. All over the crust's surface, crust is destroyed, and reformed. All plate boundaries movements are moved by convection currents in the mantle.
At the boundaries between plates, magma is able to force its way to the surface and escape as lava. There are three different types of plate boundaries
known as convergent, divergent, and transform.
Convergent Divergent Transform
As you can see, with convergent plate boundaries, they

Plate Tectonics: Birth Of A Theory
Based on the information in the textbook and the instructor note, plate tectonics is the Earth's surface divided into several plates that move slowly and
change in size. I found the video Plate Tectonics: "Birth of a Theory" in session 13 very useful. It helps me understand the material easily by using the
animation to illustrate the process of plate tectonics. It is amazing about the fact that the continents can be made to fit together like pieces of a picture
puzzle. About 225 million years ago, the Earth seemed to contain only one piece of continent. However, as time goes by, the plate boundaries have
happened. The plates that move away from one another are called divergent plate boundaries. The plates that move toward each other are called

Plate Tectonic Analysis
The plate tectonic theory states that rigid plates slowly ride on the molten mantle. The boundaries between the plates are known to serve as an
important mineral resource. Three types of tectonic plate exist: convergent, divergent and transform boundaries. A convergent boundary represents two
plates moving towards each other mostly forming a subduction. When two plates move away from each other, a divergent boundary is formed. In
transform boundaries, the plates move laterally past each other (Mission, 2016).
Within the mid–ocean ridges forming a divergent boundary, a zone of low pressure is formed allowing magma to rise to the surface. Potentially
valuable metals are present in the hot magma. The valuable deposits are further concentrated by leaching of metals from water permeating the rocks
(Mission, 2016). The water circulating through the rocks is heated by the magma forming hydrothermal fluids. The hot hydrothermal fluids form black
smokers covering the sea floor and are rich in sulfur–containing minerals, for instance, galena, a lead sulfide, and pyrite, an iron sulfide (Mission, 2016).
... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The volcanoes heat up water percolating through the rocks and the dissolved minerals are carried to surrounding rocks. This kind of deposit
represents the majority of world's copper supply (Mission, 2016). Mineral veins and pegmatite are formed once the magma cools. An example of a
mineral vein is the Mother Lode of the Sierra Nevada containing gold deposits. Once volcanic mountains from subduction erode, portions of silver, gold
or other metals may flow into streams and their accumulation forms placer deposits. Other resources are the Ophiolites, a rich source of chromium
which is formed from portions of oceanic crust emplaced on continents after subduction events (Sharma,

Tectonic Plates
The Earth is a very detailed planet; there are many actions going on at once on this planet. The Earth has many boundaries, plates. and layers. The
plates beneath our feet mold the world we live in. While very slowly, the plates are indeed moving. There are a few variations to the plates; they have
different directions in which they move in relation to separate plates. These changes in plate movement have different side effects, from ocean trenches
to miles of mountain ranges. In 1912, a german climatologist, Alfred Wegener proposed that the continents were once joined and made one land mass.
He named this super continent Pangaea. He had a lot of evidence to prove that they were once together, but he was missing one key section of
information,... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Each plate is moving a certain direction due to the convection from the Asthenosphere. The meeting of two plates is called a boundary, there are three
types of boundaries in the world: Convergent Boundaries, Divergent Boundaries. And Transform Boundaries. In the case of Convergent Boundaries,
two plates are pushing against each other, which can create Deep Ocean Trenches, Huge Mountains, and/or Volcanic Mountain chains. An example of
this happening is the Mariana Trench, During Convergence, the denser crust, oceanic crust, is subducted below the less dense crust. If the crusts have
the same density then the plates are pushed upwards. At Divergent Boundaries, the plates are moving away from each other, this can create Mid–Ocean
Ridges and Rift Valleys. An example of this happening is the Mid–Atlantic Ridge. At the final boundary, Transform Boundaries, the plates slide the past
one another in the opposite direction, causing shallow earthquakes and offset features. An example of this Boundary is The San Andreas Fault. While
the crust moves, there are places called Hot spots in which a hot portion of the mantle rises up beneath the crust for millions of years. An example of
this is the Hawaii Island

Plate Tectonics The theory of plate tectonics has been explored throughout history because of similarities in coastal boundaries and other evidence
found such as fossil records, geometric fit, mountain episodes, the paleoclimate observed, information about the ocean floor, ancient magnetism,
distribution of volcanoes and earthquakes and heat flow from the earths core. There were early theories from Wegner's continental drift which lacked an
explanation for the mechanism that drove the continents apart, to Wilson's more complete theory of the cyclical opening and closing of the ocean
basins due to movement of the earth's plates. The theory explains how today 's continents were once a large supercontinent that slowly drifted to their
present positions and will again form one giant continent via collision.
According to the Natego film Colliding Continents, the landmasses are liable to drift back to each other through plate tectonic activity. One of the few
places on Earth where one can see continents being pushed apart is in Iceland, where the mid–Atlantic ridge in shows above the surface and shows
how oceanic crust is made, the ridge in Iceland is almost three miles wide–on one side you have the Eurasian plate and the other is the American plate.
This rifts grows forming new rock and causes the continents further apart widening the Atlantic Ocean moving about an inch a year. The theory
suggests that we go through cycles of dispersion and collision over a 100–million–year

Theories Of Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics have been recently discovered. Earthquakes and volcanoes can now be located and the public can find out when it will erupt or occur.
Our earth has a fragile shell, which moves around recycling itself, to form new layers of crust.The theory of plate tectonics was helped develop by the
theory of plate tectonics. Convection currents and gravitational forces move tectonic plates. The contact between plates, creates earthquakes, volcanoes,
islands and mid ocean ridges. Mountain ranges, are examples of converging plates and modern technology can help scientists locate tumours or
movement in the Earth.–Thesis–Convection currents and Plate tectonics explains global anomalies and phenomenon like earthquakes, volcanoes, mid
ocean ridges ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
This then send out a massive wave of energy through solid rock and water. This then results to the ground and water shaking, as the massive wave of
energy passes through. The ring of fire is where 90% of all recorded earthquakes have occurred. Most earthquakes form near the plate boundaries. The
most strongest earthquakes have been near converging boundaries. The location of the different earthquakes can help explain and give further
information for the theory of plate tectonics and where the boundaries for different plates

The Types Of Tectonic Plate Interactions
1.Using the diagram above, explain any 3 of the 6 types of tectonic plate interactions. Note: a larger version of this diagram is located in the
CONTENT section of this lesson. 1. Convergent Boundary of two Oceanic Plates: When two oceanic plates collide, one of the plates is subducted
under the other during the collision. At the subduction zone, a deep trench is formed in the ocean floor. Oceanic and oceanic plate convergence result
in the formation of volcano chains. Over millions of years, the lava and debris from the volcanic eruptions pile up on the ocean floor until the volcano
rises above sea level to form a volcanic island. These types of islands are usually formed as chains called island arcs (which run parallel to the trench). 2.
Convergent Boundary of an Oceanic and Continental Plate: When an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate, the crust forming the oceanic plate
gets bent and pulled under the continental crust (which is because the rocks that the oceanic crust is comprised of are thicker than the rocks that form
the continental crust). The process where the oceanic crust is pulled under the continental crust is called subduction and the zone at which this occurs
at the plate boundaries is called the subduction zone. It is at the subduction zone where the oceanic crust sinks beneath the continental crust, forming a
deep oceanic trench. As well, oceanic and continental plate collisions can result in earthquakes, volcanoes and folded mountain

Plate Tectonics Video Analysis
The first video was on plate tectonics, the building blocks of earth. The focus was on the interior workings of the earth and it described the movement
of the earth and the process of redistribution. The earth is made up of several surfaces and the plates are rigid slabs of solid rock that move around the
earth's crust and upper part of the mantel. They wrap around the globe like a net and interact at boundaries, such as land and ocean.
There are three types of place boundaries, convergent, divergent and transform. Convergent boundaries are regions that develop when two tectonic
plates collide. The area surrounding the collision becomes mountainous as the plates buckle. This happens through a process called subduction.
Divergent boundaries ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Different structural arrangements in the carbon atoms determine the outcome of the mineral. Diamonds are the hardest mineral; they are formed under
a covalent bond which is very strong. Graphite on the other hand is one of the softest; it is held with a softer bond. Despite the difference in structure,
both of these minerals are made from the same substance, pure carbon.
Silicates are minerals that contain oxygen and silicon. These two elements can be found in 90% of the earths minerals. While they do not produce the
beauty of diamonds or the wealth of gold, they are used in the making of construction material. The element in silicon is a common ingredient in many
products in the computing industry.
These two videos were a great introduction into how the earth works. The idea that there is constant movement within and underneath the earth's crust
can be taken for granted. The 1st video gave a great illustration of how the earth moves and shifts. The second went a little deeper into what makes
up the earth. As a society it is easy to take our resources for granted, but when it comes down to it, we are an interdependent system. The earth needs
us and we need the earth's resources to survive as a

Plate Tectonics Evolve
How Did the Theory of Plate Tectonics Evolve? The theory of plate tectonics evolved out of the theory of continental drift. Alfred Wegener originally
proposed the theory that continents move over time in 1912 after observing that many coastlines on opposite sides of the ocean appeared to match up
like puzzle pieces. He formed the theory of continental drift based on evidence, such as the fact that fossils of the same species of plant or land
animals are found across oceans, on different continents. Unfortunately, Wegener's theory was largely ignored in part because it did not explain how or
why the continents moved. Over the next 50 years, however, scientists continued to collect evidence that suggested he may have been right. For
example,

The Plate Tectonics Of New Zealand
Study of the plate tectonics of New Zealand has been undertaken since the early 1800s, however the most notable discovery regarding the plate
tectonic setting was made in the 1940s by Harold Wellman, who discovered the Alpine Fault. Since then, our knowledge of the plate tectonic setting of
New Zealand has been vastly expanded, leading to our present day understanding of the topic. A large part of our present day knowledge of the plate
tectonic setting has been gained through the study of active faulting – the visible and measurable signs of fault line activity and their ruptures. Our
current understanding is that the country sits on the boundary of the Australian and the Pacific plate. The nature of this boundary changes depending
on the area of the country studied, from strike–slip to convergent. Evidence from active faulting can be used to prove the nature of this boundary on
land by studying both the North and South Island Fault Systems. South Island Fault System The Alpine Fault is a clear starting point for analysis of
the plate tectonic setting of NZ. It is the most visually obvious sign of tectonic activity in NZ as it is responsible for the creation of the Southern
Alps, a 500 kilometre long chain of mountains which stretch from the Nelson Lakes to Milford. These mountains sit to the eastern side of the fault as
they are created by the Australian plate acting as a rigid indentor, buckling the weaker crust of the Pacific plate (Sutherland et al., 2000, 2009 as cited

Fossils And Plate Tectonics
The realization of South America and Africa connect together like a puzzle is not the only fact that Alfred and some scientists now has found. In the
article, The Distribution of Fossils and Plate Tectonics, it said that Alfred spent his life traveling around the world looking for fossil evidence to prove
his theory correct because that is what was also recognized when he formed his theory. The article also mentioned that the evidence he established was
"similar plants and animal fossils on the west coast of Africa and the east coast of South America." Furthermore, other fossil evidence that was found
about plate tectonics is how plant fossils "in the Antarctic and glacial deposits in the arid Vaal River Valley in Africa." For example, in... Show more
According to the video Animated Life: Pangea, Alfred Wegener spent his 20
–30 years of his life trying to prove to everybody else that his theory was
correct. This is evidence is important because his discovery of the South America and Africa fitting was the first piece of conformation of plate
tectonics. Also, fossils from one side of the Atlantic Ocean is on the other side is an piece of evidence that matters because it displays that it
would be impossible for the dinosaurs and animals in the past to swim across it. Therefore, proving that Alfred Wegener's theory was correct
because the continents had to be connected for the animal and plant fossils to be in different regions of the world. The fact that the plates traveling
is an important piece of evidence because it tells us that the Earth isn't a solid as some people might think we are, and that there is always a part of
the crust that is moving at a slow rate. In the video Animated Life: Pangea there was a speaker named Roger Mccoy, a professor at the University of
Utah, said, while referring to the continents and plate tectonics, "And in fact are still moving today." Based on what is known about plate tectonics,
the Earth in 100 million years would more likely be different than what it would look like today. In 100 million years from now the Earth would
probably have less land and more waters, meaning the continents

Plate Tectonics In Pompeii
Plate tectonics can cause a big impact on humans and could possibly shift its course and our knowledge of the past. This quarter we have been studied
plate tonics in the quarter. Pompeii was a city that was affected by plate tonics, its movement caused a massive eruption with terrible consequences. The
earth is a massive sphere composed of different layers. The layers above the surface are gas, the surface is liquid and solid, but deep below it's a
dense liquid that moves around. The liquids inside the earth move because as the center is heated the material in it is hot and so its density is
reduced. Materials with a lower density tend to rise up as materials with higher densities lower, this causes all the materials inside of the earth to ...
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The surrounding areas such as the river itself and the surrounding fertile volcanic soil were great appeals for the settlers since their main income and
productions were olives and grapes. The first settlers didn't know that where they settled had been site for ancient volcanic eruptions, so they assumed
that now the mountain was safe. Ancient greek history tells the story of Hercules, a brave and strong semi god who fought the giants in that
landscape. On the morning of 24th of August a tremendous bang signalled that the magma that had been building over the last thousand years had
finally burst through the crater of Vesuvius. Fire and smoke bellowed from the volcano. At this point, it may have seemed that the mountain was
doing nothing more than offering a harmless pyrotechnic display but at midday an even bigger explosion blew off the entire cone of Vesuvius and a
massive mushroom cloud of pumice particles rose 27 miles (43 Km) into the sky. The power of the explosion has been calculated as 100,000 times
greater than the nuclear bomb which devastated Hiroshima in 1945 CE. The ash that started to rain down on Pompeii was light in weight but the
density was such that within minutes everything was covered in centimetres of it. People tried to flee the town or sought shelter where they could and
those without shelter tried desperately to keep themselves above the shifting layers of volcanic

Plate Tectonics : Tectonics And Volcanoes
SCIENCE PERIOD 6
MS. COTTER
PLATE TECTONICS
RELATIONS TO EARTH'S CRUST
___
By Sally Lynne
INTRODUCTION
There are many ways that Plate tectonics, earthquakes, and volcanoes are connected. The most reasonable way is the movements of the Earth 's crust.
There are also many other plate tectonic related theories and studies that are connected with the earthquakes and volcanoes too.
The Theory of the Continental Drift was made by Alfred Wegener and started to be more convincing when people heard about tectonic plates. Wegener
thought that since the world would rotate, the continents would shift into each other or apart from each other. But since we have better technology, we
now know that the continents move because they sit on top of plate tectonics, which constantly move around, moving the continents on top of them.
What are plate tectonics?
Plate tectonics is a theory that Earth's crust is broken up into plates that float along the mantle. The plates act like a broken egg shell around the yolk
or mantle, outer core, and inner core. Scientist Alfred Wegener didn't have a scientific reason to explain how the continents moved. These plates are
moving very slowly and in a very, very, very long time, Earth will look different than what the continents look like now. The Nazca Plate is moving
southeast and will cause a collision with the South American Plate.
Earthquakes form when two tectonic plates slide past each other, push against each other, or pull apart from each other.

Plate Tectonics Theory Change
Theory Change Essay
The plate tectonics theory is the theory that the outer rigid layer of the earth is divided into several plates that move around across the earth's surface.
There are many topics that support this theory, but I think that continental drift and seismic activity help support it the best. Theories can change over
time because people get new understandings of things as time goes by, new knowledge is gained with new technology, and new discoveries can be
made.
Continental drift is the gradual movement of the continents across the earth's surface over time. It explains that at one point, all the continents were
stuck together as one big continent and have since drifted apart, forming the seven continents we have today. It shows how the continents have shifted
position on Earth's surface. Continental drift supports the theory of plate tectonics because the plate boundaries are where each of the continents split
apart. For example, where South America broke off of Africa, there is a plate boundary that has moved around across the surface of the Earth. This is
why ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
There are several reasons for this. The first reason they change over time is because knowledge builds on itself causing people to have new
understandings of concepts which can change a theory. Also, new technologies and tools can help scientists discover new things which leads to
changing theories. It is important to continue testing theories because they have the potential to change over time and scientists need to make sure it is
accurately explaining a concept. Validating theories is also important because scientists need to confirm that their theory is accurate and not incorrect.
Sometimes scientists need to revise their theories. They need to do this because something may have changed within their theory, so they have to
revise it to make it correct again. Most of the time, the modification of these theories is initiated by somebody asking a

Plate tectonics essay
Assess the strength of the relationship between tectonic processes and major landforms on the earth's surface. Tectonic processes have been
responsible for the major landforms across the Earth's surface. These processes are controlled by the convection currents rising from the Earth's
mantle. Firstly, one place where tectonic activity occurs is at oceanic to oceanic constructive plate boundaries. Here two plates diverge or move away
from each other, pushed apart by huge convection currents In the earth's mantle. These convection currents are initiated by heat energy produced from
radioactive decay in the earth's core. As the convection currents move the plates away from each other, there is a weaker zone in the crust and an...
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Here, two plates meet and the denser oceanic lithosphere of the Nazca plate is forced down under the more buoyant continental lithosphere of the
South American plate, descending at an angle into the mantle in a process called subduction. This is marked on the ocean surface by the presence of
the Peru–Chilie trench. The friction between the plates prevents the subducting oceanic plate from sliding smoothly. As it descends it drags against
the overlying plate causing both fracture and deform. This results in frequent shallow focus earthquakes The subduction of the Nazca plate under
southern Chile produced the largest earthquake ever recorded, with a magnitude of 9.5 in 1960. Volcanoes are also created here as one plate
subducts and partially melts; the magma rises up through fissures and can reach the surface. The type of lava here is andesitic, very high in silica and
not very hot resulting in a composite volcano being formed out of layers of ash and lava. The cascade mountain range is an example of where a
destructive plate boundary has caused the Juan de Fuca plate to subduct under the North American plate. This resulted in 15 composite volcanoes being
formed, one of them, Mount St. Helens. Similar to the peru–chile region, the Japanese islands are situated in a subduction zone. In the northwestern
margin of the pacific oceans, the pacific plate

Essay on Plate Tectonics Explained
The interior structure of Earth is chemically divided into an outer solid crust, the mantle, a liquid outer core, and a solid inner core. The core is largely
composed of iron, along with nickel and silicon. Other lighter elements are usually in the crust.
The core is divided into two parts, the solid inner core and the liquid outer core. The inner core is thought to be solid and primarily made up of iron
and some nickel. The outer core is all around the inner core and is believed to be made up of liquid iron mixed with liquid nickel. The outer core is
about 2890 to 5100km. The inner core is 5100 to 6378km.
Earths mantle is mainly composed of substances high in iron and magnesium. The melting point of every substance depends on the ... Show more
This then forms oceanic trenches in which the Earth's crust is pushed under into the mantle where it becomes molten. The oceanic trenches are several
hundred kilometers long but narrow. They also are the deepest parts of the ocean floor. These boundary types also produce mountains. Mountains are
made when convergent boundaries collide but instead of one going under they both are pushed up by the others force. For this to happen neither of the
boundaries can be more or less dense than the other. There are three types of convergent boundaries: oceanic plate–continental plate convergence,
oceanic plate–oceanic plate convergence, and continental–continental plate convergence. An example of this type of boundary is the collision between
the Eurasian Plate and the Indo–Australian Plate which is forming the Himalayas.
A divergent boundary is where the plates are moving away from each other. These areas can form in the middle of continents but eventually form
ocean basins. Divergent boundaries make ocean ridges like the Mid– Atlantic ridge. At divergent boundaries the floor is higher than anything else
around it. This is because where the plates are moving away from each other there is a crack where new magma constantly flows upward toward the
surface through a gap called a rift onto the ocean floor making the surrounding area move outward. Sometimes submarine volcanoes might also be
formed. Continental crust is often split along divergent plate

Plate Tectonics Essay
1.0Topic Definition
Plate Tectonics is a scientific theory which study how the Earth's plates are driven and shaped by geological forces to keep them in constant movement.
The theory explains the present–day tectonic behavior of the Earth, particularly the global distribution of mountain building, earthquake activity, and
volcanism in a series of linear belt. (Pitman, W.C., 2007)
Plate Tectonics explains geomagnetic and geothermal phenomena, magma and orogenesis, and it clarify the global mid–ocean ridges and rift system,
etc. The theory also analyzes geological issues such as the origin of oceanic crust. Plate Tectonics has a significant effect on all fields of geology
because it helps explain many geological phenomenons.
Figure1. ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
Geology is a subject which studies the Earth, the materials of it, the structure of those materials and the movement of them. Plate Tectonics studies the
movement, evolution, composition, portfolio construction, distribution and mutual relations of the Earth's lithosphere plates, which is similar to
subject of geology.
4.0 Knowledge
In junior high school, I have learned the Continental Drift Theory, and my geography teacher told me there was a new theory based on the Continental
Theory, i.e. Plate Tectonics. I accessed to the Internet to find the information about Plate Tectonics.
There are three distinct types of plate boundaries existing, which are supported by geological observation, geophysical data, and theoretical
considerations. Their names and categories are based on if adjacent plates move apart from each other (divergent plate margins), toward one another
(convergent plate margins), or slip past one another in a direction parallel to their common boundary (transform plate margins) (Pitman, W.C., 2007).
The new volcanic material welling up into the void, which forms a ribbon of new materials and breaks down its center gradually, when the plates
move apart from the axis of the mid–oceanic ridge system. Therefore, every separating plate accretes one half a ribbon of new lithosphere, and, thus, a
new surface is added (Pitman, W.C, 2007). The process is continuous, and separation is always happening at the

Evolution Of Tectonic Plates In 1590
The position of the Earth's continents have changed over time due to the movement of Earth's tectonic plates. 225 years ago the Earth's continents were
joined together to form Pangea (Figure 2). 75 years later they drifted further into Laurasia and Gondwana, if you go along another 50 years it formed
continents much similar to ours currently, though Antartica and Australia, North America, Europe and Asia and India were conjoined (Figure 2). The
theory of tectonic plates have developed since 1590. This theorem, is currently a key figure of the Earth's natural history.
Plate tectonics is the theory of which has developed since the 1590's. According to World Atlas there are nine major plates. Each plate moves 2–5
centimetres annually. Over the ... Show more content on Helpwriting.net ...
The continents are effected largely due to the shifting and movement of the plates below the mantle. There are three types of plate boundaries;
convergent, divergent and transform. A convergent plate boundary is when the oceanic plate is "overridden" by a continental plate, causing magma to
heat and rise (Geology.com, 2018). A divergent plate boundary is when the plates are moving away from each other, eventually a divergent boundary
turns into a valley. A transform plate boundary is when two plates slide past each other, moving in either the same or opposite directions. Tectonic
plates are the reason for the movement of the Earth's continents, where as the plate boundaries effect the Earth's

Plate Tectonics Theory
"The good thing about science is that it's true whether you believe in it or not," stated Neil Degrasse Tyson. The 'Theory of Plate Tectonics' is
accredited to most of the creations of mountain ranges, the Centennial Drifting Theory, earthquakes, and other landforms nature has made.
The idea of plate tectonics was formulated in the 1960s (Andel). Plate tectonics explains the origin of Earth's surface features ("Plate Tectonics"
BrainPop). Alfred Wegner was just guessing about the way plate tectonics were formed and no one believed him (Plate Tectonics). Scientists thought
all hills and uneven ground was due to the Earth shrinking. Scientists later found out that plates move about 5 to 10 cm. per year. During the late 20th
and early 21st centuries, researchers found out that plate–tectonics had influenced the composition of Earth's atmosphere and the oceans. After Wegner
died, his 'Theory of Pangea' was proven correct due to further research on plate tectonics (Kratochvil). Plate tectonics is also a prime cause of
long–term climate change (Andel). Plate tectonics also give the rock cycle the ability to keep continuing. ("Plate Tectonics" BrainPop)
Plates tectonics are very complex, they have many steps that make them work like they do. Plates "float" on top of the mantle, it is the part of the earth
between the core. The mantle starts to churn in circular convection currents as they drag the tectonic plates along ("Plate Tectonics" BrainPop). The
Earth's crust is split into

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