Download STUDY SHEET FOR PLATE TECTONICS CONTINENTAL DRIFT 1

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STUDY SHEET FOR PLATE TECTONICS
CONTINENTAL DRIFT
1. What is the name of the scientist who is credited with developing the continental drift hypothesis?
ALFRED WEGENER
2. What is the name of the “supercontinent” suggested by the continental drift hypothesis?
PANGAEA
3. Identify THREE different examples used as evidence to support the continental drift hypothesis.
A)
FOSSILS OF:
PLANTS FOUND IN COLD AREAS (ANTARCTICA)
FRESH WATER ANIMALS & LAND ANIMALS FOUND ON CONTINENTS SEPARATED BY AN OCEAN.
B)
GLACIAL DEPOSITS FOUND IN WARM AREAS (AUSTRALIA).
C)
ROCKS OF THE SAME AGE FOUND ON THE COASTLINES OF SEPARATE CONTINENTS
IDENTICAL MOUNTAIN RANGES FOUND IN DIFFERENT CONTINENTS.
LITHOSPHERE, ATHENOSPHERE, and CONVECTION CURRENTS
1. What is the lithosphere? What layer(s) of Earth make up the lithosphere?
THE LITHOSPHERE IS A SOLID LAYER BROKEN INTO THE TECTONIC PLATES.
IT IS MADE OF EARTH’S CRUST AND THE TOP OF THE UPPER MANTLE.
2. What is the asthenosphere? What layer(s) of Earth make up the asthenosphere?
THE ASTHENOSPHERE IS A FLEXIBLE, PLASTIC LIKE LAYER THAT HAS BOTH SOLID AND
LIQUID PROPERTIES. TECTONIC PLATES “FLOAT” ON THE ASTHENOSPHERE. IT IS MADE OF
THE BOTTOM OF EARTH’S UPPER MANTLE.
3. When material is heated in a convection current, what happens to the material’s density?
HEATED MATERIAL’S DENSITY DECREASES
4. Where does the material in a convection current go when it heats up?
HEATED MATERIAL RISES.
5. When material is cooled in a convection current, what happens to the material’s density?
COOLED MATERIAL BECOMES MORE DENSE.
6. Where does the material in a convection current go when it is cooled?
COOLED MATERIAL SINKS.
PLATE BOUNDARIES
Draw arrows to explain how plates move at each of the four following boundaries:
1. DIVERGENT:
2. TRANSFORM:
3. COLLISION:
4. SUBDUCTION:
5. What plate boundary will most likely create:
Mid – Ocean Ridges:
DIVERGENT
Deep – Sea Trenches:
SUBDUCTION
Mountains:
COLLISION
Very large faults (like San Andreas):
TRANSFORM
Seafloors:
DIVERGENT
TECTONIC PLATES
6. What is the theory of Plate Tectonics? THE THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS STATES EARTH’S
SURFACE IS BROKEN INTO RIGID, MOVING PIECES CALLED PLATES.
7. How many major tectonic plates are there in the world? What are the names of the major tectonic
plates?
THERE ARE SEVEN MAJOR PLATES: AFRICAN, ANTARCTIC, EURASIAN, INDIAN-AUSTRALIAN,
NORTH AMERICAN, PACIFIC, & SOUTH AMERICAN.
PLATE TECTONICS
PLATES
LITHOSPHERE
ASTHENOSPHERE
CONVECTION
DIVERGENT
BOUNDARY
SUBDUCTION
BOUNDARY
PLATES MOVE AWAY
FROM EACH OTHER.
PLATES CONVERGE
MORE DENSE PLATE
SINKS UNDER LESS
DENSE PLATE.
COLLISION
BOUNDARY
TRANSFORM
BOUNDARY
TWO CONTINENTAL
PLATES CONVERGE
AND CRASH INTO
EACH OTHER.
TWO PLATES
SLIDE AGAINST
ONE ANOTHER.
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