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Theory of Plate Tectonics

Theory of Plate Tectonics. Theory of Plate Tectonics:. Lithosphere is broken up into many plates that move Interactions when the plates touch, explain most of the Earth’s land and ocean features Earthquakes can occur at all plate boundaries . Plate Boundaries. Divergent. Convergent.

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Theory of Plate Tectonics

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  1. Theory of Plate Tectonics Theory of Plate Tectonics: • Lithosphere is broken up into many plates that move • Interactions when the plates touch, explain most of the Earth’s land and ocean features • Earthquakes can occur at all plate boundaries

  2. Plate Boundaries • Divergent • Convergent • Transform

  3. What happens at a divergent boundary? • Motion: Plates moving apart • Features/Processes: • Sea floor spreading • Mid-ocean ridge • Volcanic activity • Ex: Mid-Atlantic Ridge

  4. Ex: The Great Rift Valley • Divergent boundary on a continent • New ocean forming

  5. DivergBound_PC

  6. What happens at a transform boundary? • Motion: Plates slide past each other • Features/Processes: Many earthquakes

  7. Ex: San Andreas Fault

  8. What happens at a convergent boundary? • Motion: Plates are pushed together • Features depend on which types of plates are converging(details below)

  9. Convergent (oceanic crust vs. continental crust) • Oceanic subducts under continental because… • The oceanic crust has a greater density • Trench is created off the coast • Volcanic Mountains created on land due to rising magma • magma

  10. Ex: The Andes Mountains

  11. Convergent (oceanic crust vs. oceanic crust) • The OLDER oceanic plate will sink beneath the newer • The older plate is denser b/c it has more time to compact • Trench is created in between the plates • A volcanic island arc is created due to rising magma • magma

  12. Examples: Island Arcs of • 2. Japan • 1. Aleutian Islands, Alaska • 3. The Philippines

  13. Convergent (continental vs. continental) • Both plates collide and deform • neither subducts because both plates have similar, low densities • The crust thickens as mountains are pushed upward • metamorphism of rocks takes place from pressure

  14. Ex: The Himalayas

  15. ConvergMargV2

  16. MotionAtPlate_PC

  17. Explain this diagram: 2 3 4 1

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