Plate Tectonics
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Transcript Plate Tectonics
Objective
Warm-Up:
You will use the theory of
What do you know
plate tectonics and the
changes in the earth’s
surface in order to
explain the evidence for
continental drift theory.
about the theory of
plate tectonics?
How do plates move?
The theory that the Earth’s Crust and
upper mantle (Lithosphere is broken up
into 20 MOVING sections called plates.
Greek – “tektonikos” of a builder
Pieces of the lithosphere that move
around
Each plate has a name
Fit together like jigsaw puzzles
Plates Float on top of the
asthenosphere similar to ice cubes in a
bowl of water
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/unanswered.html
“Plates” of lithosphere are moved around by
the underlying hot mantle convection current
Hot material rises
while, cooler
material sinks
Created by the
uneven heating
of the
asthenosphere
“It is only by combing the information furnished by all the
earth sciences that we can hope to determine “truth” here.”
-Alfred Wegener (1880-1930)
Alfred Wegener 1915
Continents were once a
single land mass that
drifted apart.
Fossils of the same plants
and animals are found on
different continents
Called this supercontinent
Pangea, Greek for “all Land”
Split again – Laurasia &
Gondwanaland 180 million
years ago
http://members.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/astronomy/planets/earth/Continents.shtml
Puzzle Fit
Fossil Evidence
Geological
Evidence
Climate evidence
Some thing to think about:
What did Wegener propose as a method of explaining
the close fit of the continents on either side of the
Atlantic Ocean?
What was so unusual about the fossil remains of
Mesosaurus?
How did clues found in South Africa and Arctic islands
support Wegener's theory of continental drift?
Why wasn't Wegener's theory accepted at the time?
Is the Hypothesis that states that the continents once
formed a single land mass, broke up and drifted to
their present locations.
Wegener Evidence:
There are 4 pieces:
1.
2.
3.
4.
What evidence did Wegner have that that
the continents use to be one large land mass
called Pangaea?
How does the movement from Pangaea
impact the location of some of the resources
we use today? (think of coal and the
conditions necessary for it to form)
• Mid-Ocean Ridge :
underwater mountain
chains that run through
the Earth’s Basins
• Magma rises to the
surface cools and new
crust forms (Basalt)
• Older Crust is pushed
farther away from the
ridge
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html
http://www.geology.com
http://www.geology.com
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com
http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com
www.geology.com
Name the 3 main layers of the Earth
What is a tectonic plate?
What was Pangea?
What is Sea-Floor spreading?
Name the three different types of plate boundaries and
one location on Earth for each one