Wegener Pangaea Continental Drift

Evidence for Continental Drift Mesosaurus dino fossils Glossopteris plant fossils Formation and age of particular mountains Shape of continents

Plate Tectonics- earth’s lithosphere is cracked into sections called “PLATES” Evidence found in the ocean floor~ seafloor spreading

Plate movement- caused by convection currents

Plate Movement Labeled

Converging Plates

Convergent Plates 2 Land carrying plates converge pushing each other up forming mts.

Converging Oceans 2 ocean plates converge and the more dense plate will subduct beneath the less dense plate.

Converging Land with Ocean Plate The denser ocean plate subducts beneath the continental plate forming mountains and or volcanoes.

Diverging Plates

When 2 ocean plates diverge a ridge is formed

Seafloor Spreading Another name for 2 ocean plates diverging.

When 2 continental plates diverge a rift valley forms

Transform Boundary Two plates move side to side. When the plates get stuck and suddenly release, an earthquake occurs

Ring of Fire

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