Analysis: The Tectonic Plate Model

II: Plate tectonics shows the features and movement of the Earth. The theory of plate tectonics says that the outer shell of the earth is broken down into pieces often called plates (Korenaga). These plates hover over the mantle creating movement (Marshak). With plate tectonics you can determine the earth’s features without actually seeing it.

Short went into depth when talking about the nine main plates of the Earth. The movement of these plates have caused land to separate and changed the location of continents. A great example of the power that these plates hold is when the Indo-Australian plate and the Eurasian plate came together.

The theory of plate tectonics states that the Earth’s lithosphere (top layer of the Earth’s crust) is split up into rigid sections called plates that are moving relative to one another as they move on top of the underlying semi-molten mantle. These plates are either continental, The North American Plate, or oceanic, The Nazca Plate.

The theory of plate tectonics was first developed by Alfred Wegener. He concluded that the continents seem to have a similar shape and could potentially fit together. This suggested that they were at one time joined together as part of 2 super continents called Gondwanaland and Laurasia was in the north. This theory was said to be proven by the discovery of fossilised remains of a mesosaurus that were found on the coasts of Brazil and Gabon. Sea floor spreading is another theory that supports the idea of plate tectonics; this theory discovered that rock is being formed under the ocean as a new sea floor. Sea floor spreading was shown in the Atlantic, where it is believed the Eurasian and North American plates are moving apart on a

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)

In ionic bonding one atom transfers electrons to another, creating ions with differing electrical charge.

Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that attempts to explain the movements of the Earth's lithosphere that have formed the landscape features we see across the globe today” (Briney). Geology defines “plate” as a large slab of solid rock, and “tectonics” is part of the Greek root word for “to build.” Together the words define how the Earth’s surface is built up of moving plates. The theory of plate tectonics dictates that individual plates, broken down into large and small sections of rock, form Earth’s lithosphere. These fragmented bodies of rock move along each other atop the Earth’s liquid lower mantle to create the plate boundaries that have shaped Earth’s landscape. Plate tectonics originated from meteorologist Alfred Wegener’s theory, developed in the early 20th century. In 1912, he realized that the east coast of South America and the west coast of Africa appeared to piece together like a jigsaw puzzle. He further examined the globe and deduced that all of Earth’s continents could somehow be assembled together and proposed the idea that the continents had once been linked in a single supercontinent called Pangaea. To explain today’s position of the continents, Wegener theorized that they began to drift apart approximately 300 million years ago. This theory

of the effects of plate tectonics acting over geologic time. The story begins with the

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

Explain the Theory of Plate Tectonics. The theory of plate tectonics is that plate tectonics is what moved pangea, a supercontinent with all the continents combined away from each other.

The earth has been through a lot of changes throughout time. It used to be thought that the continents were locked in their positions and couldn’t move, but in 1915 Alfred Wagner came up with a theory about continental drift (Tarbuck and Lutgens, 2015). While unsure of the process that happened at the time, Wagner also came up with the idea that all the continents in existence today were once all connected as one giant continent known as Pangea. This idea is supported by the findings of similar rocks or fossils in multiple locations separated by large water bodies. Thanks to more tools and funding, the oceanic ridge system was found and by 1968, the theory of plate tectonics was introduced (Tarbuck and Lutgens, 2015). This theory

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.

Have you ever wondered why the Earth looks the way it does today? Well, you are not the only one. Not too long ago was it that scientist asked themselves the same question and were able to come up with an answer. Now, lets take a quick look back at that question. Why do the continents look the way they do? Well, the short answer is basically plate tectonics. What is that you say? Plate tectonics is a theory that describes the formation, movements, and interactions of the Earth's lithosphere with its' asthenosphere. The lithospheric layer of Earth's crust is broken into plates that move on the asthenosphere, the layer located under. This theory is what basically explains how continents, volcanoes, and mountains got where they are today. Now,

The San Andreas Fault is one of the most widely studied faults in the world. Scientists use an array of methods in collecting data and providing analysis of fault characteristics both past and present. Presently there are many differing hypothesis and models used to describe crustal movements and deformation within the Pacific and North American plate boundary. Historical earthquakes along this fault have proven to be rather large and devastating. This is important since the San Andreas Fault runs along many highly populated areas throughout Northern and Southern California. Through further research and analysis of this fault system scientists hope to solve

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