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Discovering Plate Tectonics: Earth's Dynamic Layers Explained

Explore the fascinating world of plate tectonics, from the solid crust to the fluid mantle and core. Learn about the movement of lithospheric plates and the processes like sea-floor spreading and plate boundaries. Unravel the mysteries of Earth's structure through engaging explanations and visuals.

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Discovering Plate Tectonics: Earth's Dynamic Layers Explained

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  1. Plate Tectonics

  2. The Crust • Outermost layer • 5 – 70 km thick • Solid, rigid

  3. The Mantle • Layer of Earth between the crust and the core • Made up of 3 parts

  4. The Core • Below the mantle and to the center of the Earth • Outer core = liquid • Inner core = solid

  5. Plate Tectonics • Pieces of the lithosphere that move around • Each plate has a name • Float on top of mantle similar to ice cubes in a bowl of water

  6. Lithosphere • Uppermost part of the mantle, along the overlying crust • Break into pieces called plates • Overlies a weaker region of the mantle known as the asthenosphere • Temperature/pressure in the uppermost asthenosphere, creates a weak zone that allows the lithosphere to be detached=movement

  7. How Plates Move http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/unanswered.html

  8. Sea Floor Spreading • Mid Ocean Ridges – underwater mountain chains that run through the Earth’s Basins • Magma rises to the surface and solidifies and new crust forms • Older Crust is pushed farther away from the ridge

  9. Sea Floor Spreading

  10. Plate Boundaries • Interactions among individual plates, creating deformation, occur along their boundaries • Plates are bounded by three distinct types of boundaries • These boundaries are determined by the type of movement they exhibit

  11. Divergent Boundaries • Constructive margins • Two plates move apart, resulting in an upwelling of material from the mantle to create new sea floor • Seafloor spreading, creates new sea floor, magma rises when spreading • Older Crust is pushed farther away from the ridge

  12. Divergent Boundary

  13. Arabian Plate Red Sea African Plate

  14. Convergent Boundaries • Destructive margins • Two plates move together, resulting in oceanic lithosphere descending (trench) beneath an overriding plate (subduction zones) • eventually to be recycled into the mantle or create mountain system • Oceanic-Continental, continental volcanic arc • Oceanic-Oceanic, volcanic island arc • Continental-Continental, collision mountains

  15. Convergent Boundary – Oceanic & Continental http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com

  16. Convergent Boundary – Oceanic & Oceanic Note – plates are reversed http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com

  17. Convergent Boundaries - Continental http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/understanding.html & http://www.geology.com

  18. EurasianPlate Indian Plate

  19. Transform Fault Boundaries • Conservative margins • Two plates grind past one another without production or destruction of lithosphere San Andreas Fault

  20. Transform Fault Boundaries

  21. Review • Name the 3 main layers of the Earth • What is a tectonic plate? • What was Pangaea? • What is Sea-Floor spreading? • Name the three different types of plate boundaries and how they move. • What is found at each type of plate boundary?

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