Plate Tectonics and Continental Drift

What is Plate Tectonics? A theory that explains the movement of the Earth’s plates and the cause of earthquakes, volcanoes, oceans, trenches, mountain range formation, and many other geologic phenomenon.

Lithosphere is the outer solid part of the earth, consisting of the crust and uppermost mantle.

Layers of Earth’s interior Crust: the outermost major layer of the earth, ranging from about 10 to 65 km in thickness worldwide. The uppermost 15-35 km of crust is brittle enough to produce earthquakes. Oceanic crust is thinnest; continental crust is thickest.   Mantle: the part of the earth’s interior between the metallic outer core and the crust which is a thick, dense layer of rock approximately 1,429 mi.(2,300 km) thick. Core: The core itself is even denser, as illustrated by the fact that it constitutes about 16% of the planet's volume and 32% of its mass.

How many different types of plate boundaries are there? Convergent boundaries Divergent boundaries Transform boundaries How many different types of plate boundaries are there?

Convergent boundaries Plate boundaries Divergent boundaries Divergent boundaries occur where plates are moving apart. Hot mantle rock rises and partial melting occurs. New crust is created by the magma pushing up from the mantle. Transform boundaries Two plates slide against each other. Convergent boundaries Crust is destroyed as two plates move towards each other. The heavier plate dives (subducts) beneath the more-bouyant plate.

Convergent boundaries Plate boundaries Divergent boundaries Divergent boundaries occur where plates are moving apart. Hot mantle rock rises and partial melting occurs. New crust is created by the magma pushing up from the mantle. Transform boundaries Two plates slide against each other. Convergent boundaries Crust is destroyed as two plates move towards each other. The heavier plate dives (subducts) beneath the more-bouyant plate.

Convergent boundaries Plate boundaries Divergent boundaries Divergent boundaries occur where plates are moving apart. Hot mantle rock rises and partial melting occurs. New crust is created by the magma pushing up from the mantle. Transform boundaries Two plates slide against each other. Convergent boundaries Crust is destroyed as two plates move towards each other. The heavier plate dives (subducts) beneath the more-bouyant plate.

What natural phenomena can be explained by plate tectonics and How? Plate tectonic explains the movement of the Earth’s plates and the cause of Earthquakes, volcanoes, oceanic, trenches, mountain range formation, and many other geologic phenomenon.