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plate tectonic theory essays
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plate tectonic theory essays
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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 identified: convergent plate boundary, divergent plate boundary, and transform plate boundary. A convergent plate boundary is where two plates are moving toward each other. If the two plates are of equal density (two continental plates or two oceanic …show more content…
Continental drift is the theory of the shifting of the positioning and look of continents in the past and their predicted look in the future. 2.5 cm a year doesn’t seem like a lot unless we calculate it in the millions or hundreds of million years, possibly even 200 million years ago, the era of Pangea. Pangea is the theory that all the 7 continents that we have classified today were joined into one supercontinent, Pangea. The main evidence for this theory of continental drift and Pangea is that almost identical animal and plant fossils, and similar rock formations, are found on different continents. The coastlines of continents even match up with a little bit of rotation and alignment. Through the years, parts of the supercontinent started to drift apart and continued drifting to turn into the continents we know …show more content…
Without studying plate tectonics, then we can never evaluate, prepare for, or predict: volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, or tsunamis. Without the theory of plate tectonics we would have never had known what the cause of earthquakes is or how to prepare for the arrival of an S-wave after the arrival of a P-wave. The theory of plate tectonics is not a lost cause or a finished theory. There is still a lot of progress to be made; right now my team and I are working on a way to predict earthquakes up to days in advance so that if the threat of a major earthquake is visible, we can evacuate before the P-wave even hits instead of panicking when the P-wave does hit. My team and I are also working on improved ways to predict and prepare for volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. Conclusion Researching and studying the theory of plate tectonics is incredibly important to earth science and the world. With your support we will be able to predict and prepare for not only earthquakes, but also volcanic eruptions and tsunamis. The theory of plate tectonics is not over, the earth is always changing and moving, so the theory of plate tectonics must also change with the earth and not just be based on only the past. With your continuing investment we will be able to adapt, learn, and protect ourselves from the natural occurrences that can be minor on
Earthquakes are a natural part of the Earth’s evolution. Scientific evidence leads many geologists to believe that all of the land on Earth was at one point in time connected. Because of plate tectonic movements or earthquakes, continental drift occurred separating the one massive piece of land in to the seven major continents today. Further evidence supports this theory, starting with the Mid-Atlantic ridge, a large mass of plate tectonics, which are increasing the size of the Atlantic Ocean while shrinking the Pacific. Some scientists believe that the major plate moveme...
The earth is split into four layers, inner and outer core, the mantle and crust. The top of the mantle and crust make up what is like the skin of our earth (see source 2). The skin is split up like a puzzle and we call these puzzle pieces’ tectonic plates (see source 1). These plates are constantly moving and the plate boundaries (edges of the plates) move and slide past one another. Sometimes as the plates move the plate boundaries become stuck. Pressure builds up in the stuck area over time and eventually breaks. This is why earthquakes occur due to the sudden movement of the plate sliding and breaking creating a fault line to go off. The fault line is the line on which the
The initial ideas of the continental drift hypothesis led to the development of plate tectonic theory. In order for the theory to be accepted, the whole scientific concept had to undergo the extensive process of scientific method. This involves an initial Observation leading to a hypothesis, attempting to explain the occurring observation. In order for this to be determined, predictions are made to explain the specific hypotheses, which are then backed up by evidence, finally leading to having a generally accepted theory. In this essay, the process in which the individual parts of the scientific method were used in the context of the continental drift hypothesis and theory of plate tectonics will be outlined whilst showing how contemporaries react negatively to incomplete scientific method.
Science of Everyday Things. (2002). plate tectonics Facts, information, pictures | Encyclopedia.com articles about plate tectonics. Retrieved from http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/plate_tectonics.aspx
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.
Effects that could be caused by the collision of two plates, one could be that previously isolated populations to connect with other previously isolated populations and allow interbreeding which could help contribute to evolution. Another effect could be that when two plates meet that there is less shore lines, meaning less wet land and a decrease in moisture; which could lead to a decrease in rock weathering. This decrease in rock weathering could also lead to a increase in CO2 concentration because CO2 is needed for weathering, this change in CO2 concentration could also result in climate change.
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 Popular Scientific Monthly. He described that the problem in understanding mountain building was establishing the cause of sideways pressure. It was not until 1910, that an American Geologist named F.B.Taylor, proposed the idea of a continental drift. Other scientists dismissed Taylor's idea, because there was just not enough proof. However, Taylor's idea was then backed up by a German scientist named Alfred Wegener. He proposed that the continents surrounding the Atlantic Ocean, Africa and South America fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. His broad range of studies enabled him to incorporate his theory of Plate Tectonics. Wegener, later in 1915 while in the German military published his idea that interpreted how his continental drift theory worked. He proposed that a huge landmass called Pangea, meaning ("all land") existed 200 million years ago. He furthered explained that this super continent began to drift apart very slowly throughout millions of years into what it looks like now. Wegener went on several expeditions through out his life to the continents of South America and Africa.
In 1912, when looking at a map, he saw how the different continents when placed together like a jigsaw puzzle, can all join together. Although scorned at the time, many geologists now believe his theory was accurate, and that about 200 million years ago, there was one large supercontinent called Pangaea, which in Greek means all land. They believe that Pangea broke into two land masses about 145 million years ago: Gondwana and
Tectonic plate theory is a relatively new theory that has evolved over the last century. The history of the theory can date back all the way to the twentieth century. Before the 1960s a majority of geologists believed that ocean basins and continents had a fixed position and
I chose these specific topics because I felt that they all fell under the common theme of general/basic mechanisms and encompasses main theories and processes of Geology. In order to understand the former three topics, you must understand what Geology is. Plate tectonics is the “Big Idea” for Geology, a key theory that Geology is based on. You must also understand why plate tectonics are possible (because of the rock flow inside the earth) and its effects, which include how mountains are made.
Continental drift is the theory that the continents moved or split into smaller continents that we have today. That is the reason we think is that we find plant and animal fossils that originated and lived in different continents are found on the other side of the world than were we thought they lived.
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 outer core, that represents about 85% of the total
First you might need to know definition of tectonics. It is a theory in geology. The lithosphere of the Earth is divided into a small number of plates which float on and travel independently over the mantle and much of the Earth’s seismic activity occurs at the boundaries of these plates. That is the official definition of Plate tectonics. secondly, this plate covers many parts of continents. plate boundaries don’t go according to Continents boundaries, they make their own boundaries. The North American plat...
The concurrent convective circulations in the mantle leads to some segments of the mantle moving on top of the outer core which is very hot and molten in nature. This kind of movement in different segments occurs as tectonic plates. These tectonic plates are basically seven on the earth surface as major ones, although, several small ones exist also. The plates motions are characterized by varying velocities, this variance results to sub sequential collision of two plates (leading to formation of a mountain in a convergent boundary), drift of two plates (leading to formation of rifts in a divergent boundary), or parallel movement in a transform boundary(Webcache 3).
Convergent boundaries, divergent boundaries and convection currents all examples of physical evidence that supports the theory of plate tectonics. Continental drift is the theory contrived by Alfred Wegener in 1912 that states that Earth’s tectonic plates are in slow constant movement. At the time he didn’t know how the continents moved. The theory was soon modernized in the 50’s and the theory of plate tectonics became was born. Plate tectonics is the theory that tectonic plates are in slow constant movement due to convection currents in the mantle. Now we know for sure, thanks to scientific studies of convergent boundaries, divergent boundaries, and convection currents in the Earth’s mantle, that the continental drift and plate tectonics theories are not