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 mantle´s 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
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.
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.
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)
The theory of plate tectonics states that Earth’s outer shell is divided into plates. The crust and upper mantle is broken into plates that move around on the mantle, changing in size throughout time. The lithosphere makes up the crust and upper mantle and the asthenosphere a plastic like layer beneath the lithosphere. There are three types of plate boundaries. Divergent boundaries where two plates move away from each other. The ocean widens and new crust forms at the mid-oceanic ridge. Convergent boundaries has three types of converging, moving two plates towards each other. First we have an ocean floor plate that collides with a less dense continental plate. Next an ocean floor plate collides with another ocean floor plate. Finally a continental plate collides with another continental plate. Transform boundaries were two plates slide past one another. The resulting effects of plate tectonics is landforms such as rift valleys,
Composite is the first which is also referred to as strato; it is formed from layers of ash and lava flows that are steep sided cones. The next type is called Shield volcanoes; which are low with sloping sides. This type is formed from layers of lava. The last type of volcanoes is Dome. This type of volcano is filled with a very thick type of lava. Volcanoes occur where they do because of the pressure that has been built up. This is very similar to a bottle of champagne, there is so much pressure stored inside of a champagne bottle that when the cork pops you can feel the pressure being released from that bottle. Volcanoes occur in that same fashion without the cork being popped. This pressure is being stored in the magma chamber and when it erupts it erupts just like a bottle of champagne that has been shaken
The Earth’s outer crust is made up many tectonic plates that move over the surface of the planet. When the plates come collide, volcanoes will form sometime (National Ocean Service). Volcanoes can also form in the middle of a plate, where magma rises upward until it erupts on the sea floor, at what is called a “hot spot” (National Ocean Service). A hot spot is a plume of magma or molten rock that rises from within the Earth then reaches the surface forming underwater volcanoes which may grow tall enough to
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
The earth’s crust is made out of plate tectonics. Each plate has a defined boundary and direction it moves. The plates in Earth’s crust perform two actions; they submerge under each other or they spread out. The Pacific Plate is the largest plate and it borders around many plates. The Pacific Plate moves northwest. New crust is formed from magma outpours, which are a result of the zones spreading. The tectonic plates created the islands. When the tectonic plates move, it creates the change in geography. Active volcanoes together shape the way islands are build. The magma from the volcano and the deposits from the plate are needed to create
Evaluate how Plate Tectonic Theory helps our Understanding of the Distribution of Seismic and Volcanic Events (40 marks)
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
The Earth is always changing because of plate tectonics. Plate tectonics describes the behavior of earth's out shell, with pieces bumping and grinding each other about. Most of the world's active volcanoes are located along or near the boundaries between shifting plates and are called plate-boundary volcanoes. The Hawaiian Islands are one of the best examples of an intra-plate volcanic chain. They are developed by the northwest-moving Pacific Plate passing over an inferred hot spot that inmates the magma generating and volcano-formation process. The Ring of Fire in parts of the Pacific Ocean contain many active volcanoes which Mt. St. Helens is a part of. The zone along plate boundaries are the most geologically active regions on Earth.
First there are tectonic plates that collide together that will cause an earthquake which can make the volcano erupt.
For millions of years the Earth has experienced geologic catastrophes. Since the existence of Theia itself, the Earth’s crust has been formed, deformed, and even demolished. The crust has never been a completed masterpiece due to this. Why is this? The most recent physical changes were caused by the theory of plate tectonics and earth’s crust displacement. Plate tectonics and its movement resulted in our continents drifting across the earth’s surface, and the creation of mountain belts, volcanoes, and the faults of today’s Earth.
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.
The viscosity of this base is a function of the temperature. The study of shifting continental plates is called Plate Tectonics. Plate Tectonics allows scientists to locate regions of geothermal heat emission. Shifting continental plates cause weak spots or gaps between plates where geothermal heat is more likely to seep through the crust. These gaps are called Subduction Zones.