TB Chapter 13

In order to study Plate Tectonics, we

must first reorganize our layering
system for the Earth:
Old System 4
layers
Crust (rigid)
(rigid)
Mantle (putty
like)
(semi
rigid)
Outer core (liquid)

New System 5
layers
Lithosphere
Asthenosphere
Mantle
Outer Core
Inner Core

ESRTs Page 10 Cross Section of

the Layers of the
Earth/
Temperature
Graph/ Pressure
Graph

What is Plate
Tectonics?
Earths surface is made up of moving,
solid pieces called plates
(Reference Tables pg 5)

Plate tectonics is the study of the

formation and movement of these plates
Earths plates are part of the lithosphere
The lithosphere is the crust and the upper
part of the mantle

Properties of the
Crust
Oceanic crust is mainly made
of the igneous rock basalt
Continental crust is mainly
made of the igneous rock
granite
Oceanic crust is denser than
continental crust (b/c basalt is
MAFICremember?...ROCKS!)

How Plates
Move
Asthenosphere - middle part of the
mantle
Similar composition to the rigid upper
mantle, but it is partially melted
This makes the asthenosphere like a
very thick liquid (viscous)
(think VERY THICK MUD or SILLY PUTTY)

The liquid property of the

asthenosphere allows it to flow very
slowly

How Plates Move

contd
You can think of the lithospheric
plates as floating on the
asthenosphere
The heat from inside the Earth causes
convection currents to form in the
asthenosphere
Where convection currents rise,
molten rock forces the plates apart
Where the convection currents are
sinking, the plates are moving
together

DIVERGENT
BOUNDARY
NEW ROCK

LIQUID HOT MAGMA

CONVERGENT
BOUNDARY
MOUNTAI
N
BUIDLING

LIQUID HOT MAGMA

Alfred Wegeners Theory

of Continental Drift
In 1915, German geologist and
meteorologist, Alfred Wegener, first
proposed the theory of continental
drift, which states that parts of the
Earth's crust slowly drift atop a
liquid core
Wegener hypothesized that there
was a gigantic supercontinent 200
MYA, which he named Pangaea,
meaning "All-earth
Wegener published this theory in his
book, On the Origin of Continents &
Oceans

Wegene
r

OK, so were saying

that the lithospheric
plates move around
on top of the
asthenosphere, but
what evidence do
we have of this
Plate Movement?

Evidence of Plate
Movement
1) Puzzle-like fit
The shape of the west coast of
Africa and the east coast of South
America seem to fit together like
a puzzle
It is believed that they were once
together, but moved apart over
time (Theory of Continental Drift)

Evidence of Plate
Movement
2) Geologic Evidence
Similar fossil remains in Africa and
South America of a reptile that is
found nowhere else in the world
Distinctive rocks were also found
in Africa and South America in
regions where the two continents
were most likely joined together

Evidence of Plate
Movement
3) The majority of earthquakes
and volcanoes are found in
belts that occur along plate
boundaries (where the plates
are moving together or apart)
Ex. the Pacific Ring of Fire

Pacific
Plate

RING OF FIRE PACIFIC PLATE

Evidence of Plate
Movement
4) Magnetic polarity reversals are
recorded in ocean floor rocks as the sea
floor spreads apart
During certain periods in Earths history,
the magnetic fields have reversed
Iron in the igneous rocks on the ocean
floor would shift before the magma
cooled and hardened
If the polarity changed, new magma
would cool with minerals shifted in the
opposite direction

Evidence of Plate
Movement
5) Heat flowing out of the rocks
(temperature) is greatest where
the rocks are spreading apart
(rising convection current)
Heat (temperature) decreases
where the rocks are moving
together
(sinking convection current)

ESRTs Page 5 Plate Tectonic

Boundaries

3 Main Types of Plate

Boundaries
I Divergent Boundaries
II Transform Boundaries
III Convergent Boundaries
A. Collision (C-C)
B. Subduction (O-C) &
(O-O)

Plate Boundaries
Divergent Boundaries- plates are
moving apart at spreading centers
These boundaries form mid-ocean
ridges or rises (like underwater
mountain ranges)
In between the 2 peaks of the ridge
are valleys called rift valleys
Ex. mid-Atlantic Ridge, East Pacific
Ridge

(Overhead View)

MidAtlantic
Ridge

Plate Boundaries
Transform (Sliding) Boundary - 2
plates slide past each other
The sliding movement often causes
earthquakes to occur along faults
A fault is nothing more than a crack
in the Earths crust where movement
has occurred
Ex. North American Plate and the Pacific
Plate are sliding past each other along
the San Andreas Fault in California

Someday, Los Angeles will

be North of San
Francisco!!!!!

Convergent
Boundaries
-

two plates are converging or

coming together (2 main types)

Type 1
Collision Boundary
(continental-continental) (C C) the two plates moving together
are both continental crust plates
The collision causes the plates to
form a single, larger continent
and the crust is pushed upward
into a mountain range
Ex. Himalayan Mountains (including
Mt. Everest). The Indian Plate and
the Eurasian Plate are still moving
together, so Mt. Everest is still
slowly getting taller!

Continental
crust

Continental
crust

Type 2
Subduction Boundary - one of the plates
plunges under (subducts) the other
Occurs between two oceanic plates
(O-O), or an oceanic and continental
(O-C) plate
Most common characteristic is a
deep-sea trench VIF!!!!
These trenches are the deepest spots in
the ocean
Ex - the Marianas Trench is approx.
35,000 feet deep! Mt. Everest could be
put into the trench and the peak would
still be about 1 mile below the oceans
surface!

Continental
crust

Oceanic crust

Subduction Boundaries
contd
Because oceanic crust is denser than
continental crust, the oceanic crust will
always subduct underneath the continental
Volcanoes always seem to form at
subduction boundaries
If two oceanic plates converge, volcanic
islands will form
(ex - Aleutian Islands in
Alaska)
If one plate is continental and the other
oceanic, the volcanoes will form along the
edge of the continental crust (ex - Cascade
Mountain Range on Western US)

Subduction
Boundaries contd
When the oceanic crust gets buried
deeper and deeper under the Earth,
it begins to melt into liquid hot
magma.
Since liquid hot magma is less
dense than the solid rock
surrounding it, it has to rise.
When it rises, it comes to the surface
of the Earth and forms volcanoes.