Plate Tectonics

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J. Tuzo Wilson

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canadian scientist - observed there are cracks in the continental crust similar to those on the ocean floor

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plates

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section of the lithosphere that slowly move, carrying pieces of continent and oceanic crust

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plate tectonics

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geological theory that states that pieces of Earth's crust are in constant, slow motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle

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convection currents

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movement of a fluid (gas or liquid), caused by differences in temp., that transfers heat from one part of the fluid to another

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how Earth's plates move

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plates of the lithosphere float on the top of the asthenosphere

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convection currents and the mantle

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as plates move, the collide, pull apart, or grind past each other resulting in volcanoes, mountain ranges, deep-sea trenches, and mid-ocean ridges & earthquakes

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3 types of plate boundaries

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transform, divergent, convergent

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transform boundary

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plate boundary where two plates move past each other in opposite directions
geologic feature is a fault
*crust is neither created nor destroyed

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divergent boundary

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plate boundary where two plates move away from each other
*most happen at the mid-ocean ridge
**when it happens on land called rift valley

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how are rift valleys formed

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2 slabs of Earth's crust slide apart

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convergent boundary

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plate boundary where two plates move toward each other
occurs between - 2 oceanic plates collide oc-oc
oceanic - continental collide oc-cc
2 continental plates collide- cc-cc

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2 Oceanic Plates collide

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more dense plate dives back into mantle -
subduction

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Theory of Plate Tectonics

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explains the formation, movement and subduction of Earth's crust
plates carry the continents, parts of the ocean floor, or both