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Plate Tectonics

            
             Plate Tectonics is a theory proposed and accepted by scientists to explain the nature of earth's surface characteristics and oceanic and continental makeup. Plate Tectonics divides the earth's surface into separate sections known as lithospheric plates. These lithospheric plates are composed of the hard rigid outer crust of the earth which "float" on top of the hot more pliable asthenospheric layer. The heating of the asthenospheric layer by the lower mantle results in density changes causing a current type rotational motion which in turn drags the above plates. This motion and the floating attribute of the lithospheric plates gives rise to the earth's changing surface and oceanic floor features. The behavior of the plates at their intersecting boundaries yields distinct geographical features dependent upon their composition and direction of movement. Divergent, convergent, and transverse are the three main labels associated with plate interactions at their boundaries. Divergent action results when plates are being pulled away from one another forming rifts and splitting open surfaces. Convergent movement results when plates collide and push together resulting in buckling and overall shortening. Transform boundaries result when two plates slide alongside each other creating fault lines but not actually increasing or decreasing overall crust material. Divergent and Convergent boundaries produce distinctive characteristics based upon the composition of the interacting plates. .
             The Ring of Fire describes a geographical area of intense volcanic and seismic activity and oceanic trenches outlining the Pacific Basin. Seventy-five percent of the world's active and dormant volcanoes can be found in this arc stretching from New Zealand thru the eastern seaboard of Asia north to the Aleutian Islands and south following the coast of North and South America. This geological phenomenon was recognized long before it could be explained by the science of plate tectonics.


Essays Related to Plate Tectonics

1. Plate Tectonics

The subduction zone is the seismically and volcanically active area nearby a tectonic plate that is submerging below another tectonic plate. The subduction zone supports the theory of plate tectonics by showing wherever two plates collide and one subsides, volcanoes are present. ... Any volcano formed around the edge of the Pacific Ocean tectonic plate is an example of a volcano formed in the subduction zone, like Mount Saint Helen. ... Before the hot spot was considered the reason for volcanic eruptions, skeptics of the theory of plate ...

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2. The Pacific Ocean Basin

Plate Tectonics is theory of global tectonics (geologic structural deformations) that has served as a master key in modern geology for understanding the structure, history, and dynamics of the earth's crust. ... The boundaries of these plates are zones of tectonic activity, where earthquakes and volcanic eruptions tend to occur. Plate Tectonics also are the cause of major features that exist in the World ocean today such as ocean basins. ... The major features of the basin and rim have been shaped by the phenomena associated with plate tectonics. ... These plates, which are huge segme...

  • Word Count: 532
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

3. Plate Tectonics

The theory of plate tectonics says that Earth's outer layer is comprised of several lithospheric plates floating around on the athenosphere. ... Plate tectonics explains the formation of guyots. ... Plate tectonics explains the results perfectly. ... The way that transform faults are distributed along oceanic ridges also is supported by plate tectonic theory. Guyots support plate tectonic theory as well. ...

  • Word Count: 656
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  • Grade Level: High School

4. Plate Tectonics - I Feel the Earth Move

Plate tectonics are parts of the Earth's lithosphere that are divided into seven major plates and many less major ones. ... The next theory about why the continents moved was the plate tectonics theory. ... There are many problems caused by plate tectonics: earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanoes. ... Volcanoes are created when two tectonic plates collide in a convergent boundary. ... Plate tectonics can cause a lot of problems and damage with the things that come along with it, but it's an amazing part of science that changed the way we look at the Earth and it's lithosphere....

  • Word Count: 495
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  • Grade Level: High School

5. Geology plate techtonics

The article "Plate Tectonics on Mars" written by Ron Cowen, was about how the magnetic map revealed ancient activity on Mars. ... Plate tectonics are the theory that explains the tectonic behavior of the crust of the Earth in terms of several moving plates that are formed by volcanic activity at oceanic ridges and destroyed along great ocean trenches. ... Just as in the theory of plate tectonics of the planet earth, the same information is what is stated in the article about Mars. New measurements of Mars" magnetic field suggest that plate tectonics reigned supreme on Mars. ......

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6. Volcano

Volcanoes can occur at divergent plate boundaries, at the convergent plate boundaries, and at locations not at plate boundaries called hot spots. 6. Plate Tectonics and volcanoes are related because the earths crust and upper most mantle form plates that move around, and when these plates converge magma is created and forced to the surface forming volcanoes. ... Volcanic activity around the Pacific Ring of Fire is caused by the tectonic movement at the boundary of the Pacific Plate. 9. The difference between Iceland's and Hawaiian Islands volcanic activity is that Iceland's sits on...

  • Word Count: 587
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

7. Geology Of Home Town

Much of the tectonic activity on Earth created new landforms and changed other landmasses. ... Where as an oceanic plate run into with a continental plate, the oceanic plate tips downward and glide beneath the continental plate forming a deep ocean trench. ... Where plates depart, burning, molten rock rises and cools adding fresh substance to the edges of the oceanic plates. ... Plate tectonics, the process in which rigid plates are shifted diagonally over hot molten material, has assisted in the explanation of global-scale geology as well as the development of mountains, and the allocation...

  • Word Count: 1535
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  • Grade Level: High School

8. plate tectonicc

Plate Tectonics In the beginning the earth was not as it is today. ... The reason why the plates are moving is because of convection. ... Sometimes the plates move apart, against each other, and other times into each other. ... Hopefully the two plates can move peacefully but not all the time. ... All the above examples are related to plates and faults and the movement of the continents. ...

  • Word Count: 346
  • Approx Pages: 1
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Earthquakes

There are three types of earthquakes, volcanic, tectonic and artificial. Tectonic earthquakes are caused by collisions of the plates, which make up the crust of the earth. ... Of the three, Tectonic earthquakes are the most devastating, and they account for almost half of the world's destructive earthquakes. Volcanic earthquakes are generally much smaller than tectonic ones. ... As you can see by looking at the map of plate boundaries the countries listed before as being the countries most likely to have earthquakes, are located on the plate boundaries. ...

  • Word Count: 481
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

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