Why do tectonic plates move?

1. Why do tectonic plates move?

2. Moving PlatesLithosphere • Tectonic plates make up a part of Earth called the lithosphere. • Litho- means rock and sphere- means ball. • The lithosphere is the solid, rocky layer of Earth. • Lithosphere includes the crust, with oceans and continents, and the rigid upper mantle.

3. Moving PlatesAsthenosphere • The layer of Earth below the lithosphere is the asthenosphere. • It is not rigid and moves like silly putty • When the asthenosphere heats up from moving around is flows like a thick liquid. • A sharp, quick force will snap it like a solid.

6. Convection Current Cycle • Temperature increases steadily as you move deeper into the asthenosphere. • Deeper in the asthenosphere the mantle is partly melted and moves like syrup. • The heated parts rise and begin to cool near the top. • As the cooler parts get colder they begin to sink and the cycle starts all over again.

7. What example did we see in our everyday life that uses convection current? Boiling pasta

8. Pasta Earth

9. How do plates interact? Type of plate: Colliding plates- plate come together Separating plates- plates move away Sliding plates- plates move past each other Type of boundary: Convergent boundaries Divergent boundaries Transform-fault boundaries

10. Colliding Plates

11. Separating plates

12. Sliding Plates

13. Sea-floor spreading is an example of what kind of plate interaction? Separating plates

14. What kind of features occur along colliding boundaries? Mountains