By: Sarah Durbrow

All the plates are under the mantle. They are made of rock and drift all over the world. The plates move up and down and side to side. Over time the plates change sizes. The size they are is about kilometers. The plates move very slow at about 1-10cm per year. When the plates move and interact that’s when disaster strikes.

The theory made by Alfred Wagner was at first not accepted by scientists. Pangaea was all lands drifted apart and landed into their places where they are today. The earth period this occurred in was carboniferous period. The continental placement being discussed at this time was the contraction theory and this was a theory that the earth was once a ball of magma. Alfred also learned about astronomy and this relates to science by how the earth and planets work.

This is when two or more tectonic plates move towards each other and clash. The hazards of convergent boundary are earth quakes, and volcanoes. This may help mountains form. The ring of fire is also an example of convergent boundaries. The Juan De Fuca plates and is 500 kilometers long this is also known as Juan De Fuca Ridge.

This is when two plates move away from one another. This then causes oceanic crust on either side of the vents. Also the mid ocean ridges are created as magma from the mantle then comes up through the oceanic crust and cools down. As the plates move along and more crust is formed the ocean basin stretches and a ridge system is then made. Volcanoes can occur. An example of divergent boundary is the mid Atlantic seperating African plates.

This is when two plates slide or rub past each other. When this happens there is friction between the plates and cause them to melt together in some spots. The plates will never stop moving so eventually they will snap apart. Then this causes earthquakes. This can also cause mud slides or land slides. This is mostly found in the ocean basin. Also trenches will happen when involved with continental plates.

The plate we live on is the tectonic plate. The plate that borders us is the pacific plate. The hazards that we face in Ohio are earthquakes this can also occur in California.

· USGS Ring of Fire NASA Plate TectonicsUSGS Ring of Fire NASA Plate Tectonics · Ge· All about Plate Tectonics ology.com Pate Tectonic MapGeAll about Plate Tectonicsology.com Pate Tectonic Map