Transcript Plate Movement

Plate Movement
Brainstorm
 How could something as big as a tectonic plate move?
Discuss with your group.
Convection
 Thermal energy transfer when a material is heated and
moved to another location.
 Occurs in liquids and gases.
Convection Currents
 The rising and falling of parts of Earth’s mantle in a cycle.
 Less dense parts rise because of hot temperatures.
 More dense parts sink because of cool temperatures.
 The cycle of convection currents pushes and pulls the plates
causing them to move.
 Cycles of convection are called Convection Cells.
 This process is powered by heat from Earth’s core.
Plate Movement
 Plates move about 1 cm a year!
 Different plates have different speeds.
 Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites can track the
motion of plates.
Modern Evidence for Plate Tectonics
 GPS Data on plate motion.
 Earthquakes and volcanoes occur mostly where plates meet.
 The age of the seafloor.
 Paleomagnetism
All Known Earthquakes and Volcanoes