The Creation of the Ocean Floor

The Creation of the Ocean Floor

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SCI/209
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Instructor

The Creation of the Ocean Floor

The theory of plate tectonics explains most of our plant's geographical features. There
are three primary types of tectonic plate boundaries. Some of our planets natural disasters
are a result of these plate boundary interactions. There are different theories regarding the
formation of our planet and creation of the ocean floor including the theory of continental drift.
The three primary types of tectonic plate boundaries are divergent boundaries,
convergent boundaries, and transform boundaries. New crust is created at divergent
boundaries. Oceans become wider and land masses can form rifts, and then water can fill the
rifts between the land masses. Crust is destroyed, then recycled back into the Earth at
convergent boundaries when one plate boundary goes underneath another plate. When two
plates slide against each other horizontally, this is known as a transform boundary, also
known as faults. Most of these faults are found on the ocean floor, but some are on land. For
example, the San Andreas fault zone is on land in California. The San Andreas fault zone
connects two plate boundaries.("Plate Tectonics", 2010)
Earthquakes are a a direct result of plate tectonics. Plates usually move gradually over
time, but can become locked together. When the plates are finally forced apart, an
Earthquake could start. Scientists try to predict earthquakes, but they cannot always be
predicted. The force is measured by the Richter scale. ("Earthquakes", n.d.)
The theory of continental drift suggests that the Earth used to only have one large land
mass that split over time, and that the pieces of land are not secured, but floating. The theory
of plate tectonics suggests that the Earth is made up of various plates that slowly move.
Some of the active volcanoes on Earth are near plate boundaries. ("Continental Drift And
Plate Tectonics", 2014) While both theories are plausible, I give more credit to the theory of
plate tectonics because of all the natural disasters that are linked to this theory. Earthquakes,
volcanoes and tsunamis are all a result of plate tectonics.

The Creation of the Ocean Floor

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References

Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics. (2014). Retrieved from

http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0001765.html
Earthquakes. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.ussartf.org/earthquakes.htm
Plate Tectonics. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.platetectonics.com/book/page_5.asp