What is plate tectonics?

Plate Tectonics is the theory

that explains the features
and movement of Earth's
surface in the present and
the past.
 The Earth may appear as a
solid, steady and unchanging
sphere of rock, but in truth, it is
constantly undergoing minor
and major changes externally
and internally
 Several theories have been
proposed to explain changes such:
1. formation of different
landforms;
2. separation of continents;
3. formation of new ocean floor
4. movement of lithospheric
plates
Early Earth
How did the different landforms
formed on Earth?
• One of the earliest theories on the
changing geography and surface
topography
• CONTRACTION THEORY
• Has been already debunked
CONTRACTION THEORY
• This theory suggested that the Earth
cooled after its formation, its surface
contracted and wrinkled, with the
wrinkles formed the mountain ranges.
Contraction Theory being analogous to
the drying of grapes to raisins
CONTRACTION THEORY
Assumptions:
• All other features of Earth were formed
during a single cooling
• Planet is static (unchanging)
• No changes since cooling
Then one man noticed that the
planet connects like jigsaw
puzzle
Alfred Wegener
CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY
Why do the different continents fit like a
jigsaw puzzle?
Continental Drift Theory
• asserted that there once was a single
landmass or Supercontinent
CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY
CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY
CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY
The theory was based upon several observations:
1. Apparent fit of South America and Africa
CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY
The theory was based upon several observations:
2. Similar plants and animals fossils in South
America and Africa
CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY
The theory was based upon several observations:
3. Similar rock layers sequence in opposite
sides of Atlantic Ocean
Does the ocean form new ocean floor
from time to time?
SEAFLOOR SPREADING THEORY
the seafloor move and carry the
continents along
Do lithospheric plates move?
PLATE TECTONICS THEORY
The Earth’s lithosphere is composed
of many independent massive slabs of
solid rocks called plates.
What is plate tectonics?
Plate Tectonics is the
theory that explains the
features and movement of
Earth's surface in the
present and the past.
Plate Tectonics Theory
Question:
Why is plate called plate?

Answer: Because it sits on top of a

mantle
PLATES TECTONICS THEORY
Assumptions:
1. The plates float on the mantle
PLATES TECTONICS THEORY
Assumptions:
2. The movement is due to convection
current
It is possible that the continents will
converge again into a single landmass
after 250 million years?