Tectonic plates move because of convection currents that flow up from the core of the Earth and circulate under the asthenosphere
Heat is generated in the Earth’s core by the decay of radioactive elements and heat remaining from the formation of the Earth
Heat slowly rises through the mantle to the asthenosphere
Intrusion of magma into an oceanic ridge pushes the plates away
Plates float on the convection currents of the asthenosphere
Cooling slab of denser oceanic slab sinks into subduction zone
Define the following:
Transform boundaries
What kind of boundary is the San Andreas Fault
Built up stress: Plates only move a couple of inches a year. Due to their large size, VERY LARGE amounts of energy are build up
Epicenter: point on surface closest to location of moving plates
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