Plate Tectonics and the Continental Drift Theory

Plate Tectonics

the massive, irregularly shaped slabs of rock that make up the Earth's lithosphere; One plate cannot shift without affecting the others nearby; Plates can move apart, push together or scrape each other.

Plate Tectonics Theory

states that Earth's plates are in slow, constant motion, driven by

convection currents in the mantle; Satellites are used to measure plate precisely; 1 - 12 cm per year

Convection Currents

describe the rising, spread, and sinking of gas, liquid, or molten material caused by the application of heat

Geologists have evidence that before Pangea existed, other supercontinents formed and split apart over the last billion years. True or False?

True

Neoproterozoic Supercontinent

another name for Assembled Rodinia (motherland or birthplace)

Divergent Plate Boundary

occurs where plates move apart

Mid-Atlantic Ridge

one of the examples of Divergent Boundaries; world's longest ridge

Iceland

one of the examples of Divergent Boundaries; on top of world's longest ridge

Great Rift Valley

one of the examples of Divergent Boundaries; Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania & Mozambique; Above sea level

Convergent Plate Boundary

occurs where plates push together; crust either folded or destroyed; examples: Inner-Continent Mountains, Coastal Mountains, Deep-Ocean Trenches (Subduction), Island Arcs

Continental-Continental Collision

occurs when two plates carrying continental crust push together; The folded crust can be pushed up high enough to form mountains

Oceanic-Oceanic Subduction

occurs where one plate with oceanic crust sinks, or subducts, under another plate with oceanic crust; Most are found in the Pacific Ocean

Island Arcs

chains of volcanic islands that form on the top plate, parallel to a deep-ocean trench; an example of Oceanic Convergence

Oceanic-Continental Subduction

occurs when oceanic crust sinks under continental crust

Deep-Ocean Trenches

As the ocean crust moves, it often causes underwater earthquakes; example of Oceanic-Continental Subduction

Coastal Mountains

As oceanic crust sinks under a continent, the continental crust buckles to form a range of mountains parallel to the deep ocean trench; examples: Cascade Mountains in Oregon and Washington (Mount St. Helen's); example of Oceanic-Continental Subduction

Transform Plate Boundary

occurs where plates scrape past each other; crust is neither created nor destroyed; occur mostly on the sea floor near the mid- ocean ridges, but they can occur on land where some are clearly visible as long cracks in Earth's surface

Alfred Wegener

German meteorologist who proposed the Continental Drift Theory

Continental Drift Theory

Continents were once a one large landmass (PANGAEA / PANGEA) 200 MYA

Rock Formation, Fossils, Climate

Evidences for Continental Drift Theory

Paleoclimate

study of past climates on Earth, utilizing proxies to understand environmental changes over different timescales

Plate Tectonics

is the theory in geology that describes the features and movement of Earth's surface in the present and in the past.

Plate Tectonics

Earth's lithosphere is composed of different plates and they began to move a long time ago.

The presence of seven major continents and small islands is proof for plate tectonics theory. True or False?

True

Continental Drift

is a theory in geology that describes the drifting of Earth's continents on the ocean bed.

Continental Drift

There are continents on Earth which have drifted on the ocean bed.

True

The occurrence of similar plant and animal species around the shores of different continents proves continental drift theory. True or False?

Plate tectonics theory

it states that the earths plates are driven by convection currents

1-12cm

Every year, ilang centimeters ang paggalaw ng plate tectonics

divergent, convergent, transform

3 plate tectonic boundaries

Alfred Wegener

Who developed continental drift theory

Pangea

Large landmass that existed before, stated in continental drift theory

Physical, chemical, Biological

3 types of weathering

rock formation, fossils, climate

3 evidences of continental drift