1.0 Topic Definition 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) Plate Tectonics explains geomagnetic and geothermal phenomena, magma and orogenesis, and it clarify the global mid-ocean
Plate Tectonics Ever since the beginning on time, Humans believed the ground is solid and immobile. But this is not true whatsoever. The Earth is every-changing and continually in motion. The stability of the Earth is not at all what we think it is. Thinking about the rotational axis of the Earth, and possibly of what the Earth may become at a certain point in time, has a great influence on understanding all aspects of living things, either in the past, present, or future. The Theory of Plate
Plate Tectonics Plate tectonics are a relatively new theory that has revolutionized the way geologists think about the Earth. According to the theory, the surface of the Earth is broken into large plates. The size and position of these plates change over time. The hypothesis of continental drift was largely developed by the German Alfred Wegener The edges of these plates, where they move against each other, are sites of intense geologic activity, such as earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain
Plate Tectonics Since the beginning of human kind there has been a cloud of wonder of how our planet was formed. Scientist interested in this field through out the years have developed many different theories to how our planet came about. Before the Twentieth Century, scientists and geologists thought that mountain structures were due to the massive tightening of the earth caused by the gradual cooling of molten rocks. In 1900, American scientist Joseph Le Conte, published an article in the Appleton's
COURSE RELT 389 SCIENCE OF ORIGIN NAME: HARLEN SURNAME: CHAPEPA ID NO#: 2011050156 MAJOR: FINANCE LECTURER: PASTOR C.NDLOVU QUESTION: THE BIBLE AND PLATE TECTONICS THE BIBLE AND THE PLATE TECTONICS Plate tectonics is a geological theory that suggests that the earth’s lithosphere is an individual rock that was broken down into fragmented plates that ride next to each other. This theory was first discovered by Alfred Wegener in 1912, he noticed that the coast lines of the west coast in Africa
Introduction The plate tectonic plays an important role in understanding many of the geological aspects and observations and it allows scientists to prevent disasters such as earthquakes and volcanoes. The Africa plate is an interested plate because it bounded with many difference major plates. This report will summery the general setting of the Africa plate with highlighting the most interested geological features in the first part. This including the type of plate boundaries and a brief history
Plate tectonics is a theory in earth science about plates that ride on the asthenosphere. These plate tectonics carry continents and ocean basins. There are seven major plate tectonic plates and many minor plates. There are two types of tectonic plates: oceanic and continental plates; continental plates have a density of 2.7 g/cm^3 but oceanic plates have a density of 3 g/cm^3.The area at which these plates meet are called plate boundaries. There are three types of plates boundaries that we have
PLATE TECTONICS ESSAY Cole Carpenter Sacred Heart Academy In the early 20th century there was a theory called Contracting Earth theory. It stated that the Earth was completely molten, and then as time passed it slowly cooled. As the Earth cooled it caused contraction and tons of pressure. This made the mountains and oceans. This theory is wrong because it doesn’t explain puzzle piece continents. Even though the contracting earth theory is in opposition to the plate tectonic theory, plate tectonic
Plate tectonics is the theory that landmasses on tectonic plates are in slow constant movement due to convection currents in the mantle. Plate tectonics, or the movements of plates above the lithosphere (the most upper layer of earth's crust) can cause divergent, convergent,and transform boundaries.A boundary the way two tectonic plates collide. is Continental plates are plates that the continents are formed on. Oceanic plates are plates that the ocean covers, and the oceans form on top of these
Volcanic and seismic events describe the activity of volcanoes and earthquakes, that can be recorded and used alongside other data to further enhance our understanding of plate tectonics. This process is the large scale motion of the Earth’s lithosphere; crust that is split into large sections known as tectonic plates move relative to one another, and can converge, diverge and subduct. This causes the formation of volcanoes, and triggers earthquakes of both large and small magnitudes. Recently, we
The word tectonic plate comes from the Greek meaning "pertaining to building". This theory tries to explain the movements of the earths lithosphere ever since the past all the way up to now. Essentially, there are three main driving forces for the movement of the Earth's tectonic plates. They are mantle convection, gravity, and the Earth's rotation. Mantle convection is very similar to the theory developed by Holmes in 1929. There are large convection currents of molten material in the Earth's upper
Plate Tectonics Plate tectonics is the manner of which the Earth’s lithosphere moves around. The weakness of the Earth’s upper mantle allows the Earth’s lithosphere to move. The lithosphere is not a single unit, it is broken down into a series of plates. The result of plate tectonics movements result in large catastrophes and natural disasters. Why do plate tectonics move ? The mantle of the Earth is very weak so, the rigid structures of the lithosphere move around easily. Tectonic plates move
The theory of plate tectonics, only recently introduced to the world, transforms the thought that the earth has been the same since its beginning. The theory alters the view of the average person almost in the way that Columbus showed the world was round. The theory of plate tectonics was developed from the theories of continental drift and sea-floor spreading and states that the earth’s surface is divided into several large plates, which are constantly in motion. In 1912, Alfred Wegener, a German
constantly changing; the primary reason for this is because of tectonic plates. Even though, humans have existed on Earth for around 200,000 years, humans have been responding to the challenges of living on a planet with a constantly changing surface by using scientific evidence and technology to help them adapt to a constantly changing environment. Plate tectonics is a unifying theory that the earth’s crust is divided into over dozen plates that float over the mantle; a layer between the crust and the
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Throughout history the continental drift hypothesis was questioned and criticised until a valid theory was agreed upon by the consensus, now known as the Plate Tectonic Theory. The scientific method is a process involving data collection and research on a set of principles to test ideas or hypotheses such as Continental Drift. It is through these set principles where any form of subjectivity and bias is avoided which could potentially distort the results during
years ago, Dan McKenzie graced us with his first paper on the “viscosity of the lower mantle”, or better known as the theory of plate tectonics. This theory states that the Earth is broken up in to plates that move in all different directions and speeds. The movement is caused by convection in the asthenosphere. The lower and hotter magma rises to the top and pushes the plates outwards, then cools and sinks. Also, in places like the Mid-Ocean Ridge, there are breaks in the Earth’s crust where magma comes
density of a fluid is related to its temperature. Hot rocks lower in the mantle are less dense than the cooler rocks above. The hot rocks rise and the cooler rocks sink because of gravity. Convection currents are thought to be the driving mechanism of plate movement. Convection currents cause convergent and divergent movements. When the rising part of the convection current rises it causes the upper mantle to move upward and in a lateral direction. This causes the mantle to split and new material to rise
Theory of Plate Tectonics as a Paradigm Shift When Albert Einstein proposed his Theory of Relativity it was not accepted immediately but eventually over time and after some debate it became a replacement for the idea of physical mechanics formulated by Isaac Newton to explain the motion of large bodies in the presence of gravity. Relativity did not totally discredit Newtonian Mechanics but it did raise new questions and could prove certain things that Newton could not. There were questions,
Science Plate Tectonic Theory Essay Plate Tectonics have always been a mysterious subject to discuss and scientists are looking for facts to prove their own theories. Indeed, scientists today have a better understanding of the Earth's tectonic plates, the driving forces and the cause of their movement, and the ways and connections in which they interact with one another. A tectonic plate is defined as a rigid segment of the Earth's lithosphere that travels independent of other plates surrounding
Over the past billion years the Earth has changed tremendously. It all started 225 million years ago with the one continent known as Pangea, to now knowing of seven. This is all connected to the theory of plate tectonics. Plate tectonics is the theory that the lithosphere is divided into many plates that move constantly across the surface of the earth. This causes many natural disasters such as tsunamis, earthquakes and volcanos. There are many known theories to why the position of Earth's continents