Download 9-28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook

9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
September 28, 2011
The Theory of Plate Tectonics
Let's meet a new scientist....
J. Tuzo Wilson
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
September 28, 2011
Wilson observed that
there are cracks in
the continents similar
to those on the ocean
floor.
In 1965, Wilson proposed a new
way of looking at these cracks.
The lithosphere is
broken into separate
sections called plates.
The plates fit together
along cracks in the
The Earth's lithosphere is
lithosphere.
broken into plates like the
cracked shell of a hard-boiled
egg.
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
September 28, 2011
Wilson combined what geologists knew
about sea-floor spreading, Earth's plates,
and continental drift into a single theory.
What could his theory be?
The theory of plate tectonics states that pieces of
Earth's lithosphere are in slow, constant motion, driven
by convection currents in the mantle.
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
September 28, 2011
The theory of plate tectonics explains the formation,
movement, and subduction of Earth's plates.
ove
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
September 28, 2011
Geologists think that
the movement of
convection currents in
the mantle is the
major force that
causes plate motion.
Plate Boundaries
• The edges of Earth's plates meet at plate
boundaries.
• Plate boundaries extend deep into the
lithosphere.
• There are 3 kinds of plate boundaries.
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
September 28, 2011
As the plates move.....
pull apart
they collide
slip past each other
As the plates move.....
divergent
boundary
convergent
boundary
transform
boundary
pull apart
slip past each other
they collide
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
September 28, 2011
Faults-breaks in the Earth's crust
Shape Spellings
Spell the following words in a way that shows its meaning
clearly. Follow the examples.
1. growing
2. convection currents
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
September 28, 2011
Shape Spellings
1. transform boundary
2. convergent boundary
3. divergent boundary
4. fault
1.
2.
transform
boundary
3.
divergent
convergentboundary
4.
boundary
fau lt
Divergent
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
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Convergent
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
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Transform
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9­28 Plate Tectonics1.notebook
e
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En
September 28, 2011
You have decided to conduct an investigation
about the phases of the moon. You want to
know if there is any correlation between the
time of moonrise and the current phase of the
moon. You will use information from the local
newspaper to get your data. Which of the
following tools is going to be of the most use
to you in your investigation?
a. telescope
b. safety goggles
c. data charts
d. stopwatch
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