Plate Tectonics
By: Zoila Slover-Roa from Mr.Little's 6th Period Class
Importances of Each Layer of the Earth
The Crust- is where all life resides on the Earth.
The Mantle- is where the convection currents of magma in the mantle cause tectonic activity, continental drift, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and most of earth's natural land forms.
The Core- is made up of solid iron. The rotation of the iron core is what gives the Earth its magnetosphere, the magnetic field that protects us from cosmic radiation allowing life to thrive.
What is Continental Drift?
What is Sea-Floor Spreading?
How Does Sea-Floor Spreading Help Explain Continental Drift?
How Does Convection Move Plates?
The Plate Tectonic Theory
Types of Plate Boundaries
Divergent Boundaries- are where plates pull apart from each other. This boundary causes earthquakes, volcanoes, rift valleys (like the Icelandic Rift Valley) and oceanic ridges (like the Mid-Atlantic Ridge).
Convergent Boundaries- are where plates collide into each other. At these boundaries, mountains are formed like the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.
Convergent with Subduction Boundaries- are where one plate sinks beneath the other, usually because that plate is denser. At this type of boundary, trenches like the San Mariana's Trench are formed and lots of volcanic activity happens like the Ring of Fire.