Download Himalayan Mountains

Plate Tectonics
A tectonic plate is a piece of the Earth’s crust that slides on top
of the mantle layer.
There are two kinds of plates: continental and oceanic
There are seven major plates and many smaller ones.
The major plates are:
• N. American
• S. American
• African
• Australian
• Eurasian
• Antarctic
• Pacific
Tectonic plates Move because of convection
currents in the mantle layer.
The mantle is very hot near the core, so it
becomes less dense and rises up towards
the crust.
Once the mantle reaches the crust it cools,
becomes more dense and sinks back down
toward the core.
When tectonic plates move, earthquakes can
happen.
Mountain ranges and volcanoes are also
created.
Large cracks called ridges and faults also
form when plates move.
There are 4 kinds of movement:
• Transform
• Divergent
• Convergent
• Subduction
San Andres Fault
Earthquakes happen here.
The two plates that created the San Andreas Fault are the North
American and Pacific Plates.
The type of plate movement that created this fault is a transform
boundary. The two plates move side by side in opposite directions.
Transform boundaries often create earthquakes.
The two tectonic plates that created the Mid Atlantic Ridge are the North
American and Eurasian Plates. The type of plate movement that created this
ridge is a divergent boundary. The Mid Atlantic Ridge is located on the floor of
the Atlantic Ocean and creates new crust as the two plates move away from each
other.
A convergent plate movement created these mountains when the Eurasian and
the Indo-Australian plates collided into each other. These are both continental
plates, so neither one subducts underneath. Instead the plates are folded and
uplifted into a mountain range.
Himalayan Mountains
Here are some examples of two continental plates
smashing into each other at a convergent boundary.
Subduction Zone
continental plate
oceanic plate
Hot Spot
The oceanic
plate dives below
the continental
plate. The plate
melts back into
the mantle and
creates a hot
spot. The hot
mantle rises up
through the crust
and creates
volcanoes. An
example of this in
the United States
is Mt. St. Helens.
Before
After