Introduction to Plate Tectonics
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How many earthquakes occur every year around the world?
An average of 2,000 strong quakes and large eruptions occur every year all around the world.
How many earthquakes occur every year around the world?
An average of 2,000 strong quakes and large eruptions occur every year all around the world.
What is the Tectonics Theory? Explain.
Tectonics theory states that the surface of the earth is not fixed and eternal, but is in constant, ever-changing motion. In short, plate tectonics explain how the world works.
Tectonics theory states that the surface of the earth is not fixed and eternal, but is in constant, ever-changing motion. In short, plate tectonics explain how the world works.
Where do the Tectonic forces originate?
The tectonic forces that sculpt the surface of the earth originate deep within the planet.
The tectonic forces that sculpt the surface of the earth originate deep within the planet.
What are Earth’s 3 main layers?
The Earth's 3 main layers are the central core, the mantle, and the outer crust.
The Earth's 3 main layers are the central core, the mantle, and the outer crust.
Where is Tectonic activity concentrated?
Tectonic activity is concentrated in hot spots. The plates are in constant motion. Where they interact, along their margins, important geological processes take place, such as the formation of mountain belts, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
Tectonic activity is concentrated in hot spots. The plates are in constant motion. Where they interact, along their margins, important geological processes take place, such as the formation of mountain belts, earthquakes, and volcanoes.
What is the Lithosphere? Where is it located?
The outer mantle and the crust are fused together into a rigid, rocky layer, about 100 kilometers thick, called the lithosphere. The lithosphere encases the entire Earth, but it is broken into pieces, or plates.
The outer mantle and the crust are fused together into a rigid, rocky layer, about 100 kilometers thick, called the lithosphere. The lithosphere encases the entire Earth, but it is broken into pieces, or plates.
What is the Asthenosphere? Why is it important to plate tectonics?
The asthenosphere is squishy and it can deform and flow slowly so that the heavy plates float on top of it. Heat from the core of the earth rises into the asthenosphere and stirs it into sluggish motion. As it circulates, the plates above it begin to move.
The asthenosphere is squishy and it can deform and flow slowly so that the heavy plates float on top of it. Heat from the core of the earth rises into the asthenosphere and stirs it into sluggish motion. As it circulates, the plates above it begin to move.
How fast do plates move (average?)
Plate motion is slow; averaging about the same speed that fingernails grow and it is relentless. Wherever plates touch, tremendous stresses are built up and released.
Plate motion is slow; averaging about the same speed that fingernails grow and it is relentless. Wherever plates touch, tremendous stresses are built up and released.
What are the 3 types of plate boundaries?
The three types of plate boundaries are divergent: where the plants collide, convergent: plates pulling apart, and transform boundary: plates sliding past one another.
The three types of plate boundaries are divergent: where the plants collide, convergent: plates pulling apart, and transform boundary: plates sliding past one another.
What happens at Divergent Boundaries? Where are these mostly located?
Frequent earthquakes strike along the rift and beneath the rift, magma rises from the mantle. It oozes up into the gap and hardens into solid rock, forming new crust on the torn edges of the plates. Magma from the mantle solidifies into basalt, a dark, dense rock that underlies the ocean floor. Thus, oceanic crust is made.
Frequent earthquakes strike along the rift and beneath the rift, magma rises from the mantle. It oozes up into the gap and hardens into solid rock, forming new crust on the torn edges of the plates. Magma from the mantle solidifies into basalt, a dark, dense rock that underlies the ocean floor. Thus, oceanic crust is made.
What kind of rock is Oceanic Crust made of?
Oceanic Crust is made up of basalt.
Oceanic Crust is made up of basalt.
What happens at Convergent Boundaries? What is often formed? Explain.
When one of the colliding plates is topped with oceanic crust, it is forced down into the mantle where it begins to melt. Magma rises into and through the other plate, solidifying into new crust. Magma formed from melting plates solidifies into granite, a light colored, low-density rock that makes up the continents. As a result, continental crust is created.
When one of the colliding plates is topped with oceanic crust, it is forced down into the mantle where it begins to melt. Magma rises into and through the other plate, solidifying into new crust. Magma formed from melting plates solidifies into granite, a light colored, low-density rock that makes up the continents. As a result, continental crust is created.
What is Granite? Where is it found?
Granite a common type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock which is granular and phaneritic in texture. This rock consists mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar. Granite is the primary product of crustal melting, so granite forms at depth in the crust
Granite a common type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock which is granular and phaneritic in texture. This rock consists mainly of quartz, mica, and feldspar. Granite is the primary product of crustal melting, so granite forms at depth in the crust
What happens at Transform Boundaries? What is special about transform boundaries?
Natural or manmade structures that cross the boundary are offset—split into pieces and carried in opposite directions. Rocks that line the boundary are pulverized as the plates grind along, creating a linear fault valley or undersea canyon. As the plates alternately jam and jump against each other, earthquakes rattle through a wide boundary zone. In contrast to convergent and divergent boundaries, no magma is formed. Thus, crust is cracked and broken at transform margins, but is not created or destroyed.
Natural or manmade structures that cross the boundary are offset—split into pieces and carried in opposite directions. Rocks that line the boundary are pulverized as the plates grind along, creating a linear fault valley or undersea canyon. As the plates alternately jam and jump against each other, earthquakes rattle through a wide boundary zone. In contrast to convergent and divergent boundaries, no magma is formed. Thus, crust is cracked and broken at transform margins, but is not created or destroyed.