Download Explains how and why the continents move

Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Tectonic Plates
 Large, solid pieces of Earth’s surface
 The crust + upper part of mantle
 Plates can contain oceanic or continental crust, or
they can have both
 About 7 major plates on Earth
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
The 7 Major Plates
 North American Plate
 South American Plate
 African Plate
 Eurasian Plate
 Australian-Indian Plate
 Pacific Plate
 Antarctic Plate
The Pacific Plate is
the only all ocean
plate!!
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Theory of Plate Tectonics
 Earth’s crust is broken into plates that float on the
upper part of the mantle.
 Combines continental drift and seafloor spreading
 Explains how and why the continents move
Plate Tectonics
Convection
 Who remembers what convection is from 6th grade or
from the Hot Spot in the Pot probe?
 Discuss it in your groups
 Share out
 Draw Pot (CCR)
Plate Tectonics
The Force Behind Plate Movement
 Convection current: movement of a liquid/gas
caused by changes in temperature
 Warm liquid rises, cool liquid sinks
(think of boiling water in a pan)
This occurs in the mantle and causes the plates to
move
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Plate Boundaries
 Plate boundary – place where two plates meet (edges)
 Plates move along these boundaries
 There are three types
 Divergent
 Convergent
 Transform
Plate Tectonics
Divergent Boundaries
 Plates move apart,
away from each other
 Form rift valleys
 New crust is formed
 Mid-ocean ridges
occur
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Convergent Boundaries
 Tectonic plates moving toward each other (colliding,
coming together)
 Form Mountains
Plate Tectonics
Transform Boundaries
 Plates slide past
each other
 Rough movement
 Causes
earthquakes
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Plate Tectonics
Effects of Plate Tectonics
 Earthquakes – sudden strong movements in earth’s
crust
 Mountains – landform that reaches high elevation
 Volcanoes – vent in the earth through which lava
erupts
 Islands – volcanic island that form on top of hot spots
(place where magma reaches the surface)
Plate Tectonics
Which is Which? Where are mountains? Mid-Ocean
Ridges? Earthquakes?