Ever Changing Earth: Plate Tectonics

1. Review
a. There are 4 layers that make up the Earth.
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
b. The Rock Cycle helps us understand how rock continually forms and
i.

changes Earth.
Explain the rock cycle: ___________________________
______________________________________________

c. Hypothesize
i. How do rocks get to the surface of the Earth?
ii. Does it happen evenly throughout the Earth?
iii. Are there specific places on Earths surface where rocks come up from the
cores and the Mantle?

2. Density
a. Definition:____________________________________________________
________________________________________
b. What layer of Earth do we find the..
i. Highest density?______________________
ii. Lowest density?______________________

3. Lithosphere
a. Made up of the upper ___________ and the ____________.
b. Broken up into sections called ______________ ___________.
c. There are two different types of crust. What are they?
i. _____________________
ii. _____________________

4. Plate Tectonics
a. The theory that explains the _____________ of the continents.
i. Continents are any of the large bodies of land on Earth.
1. Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, South America
b. Evidence that supports the theory:
1

i.
ii.

Continents fit together like _____________ pieces.

Similar fossils are found on different continents.
1. What are fossils?___________________________
_________________________________________

iii.

Similar species of animals found on different continents.

1. What are species? __________________________
_________________________________________

5. Continental movement
a. 225 million years ago, the continents were connected together in one
super-landmass called __________________________.
b. Over time, they ___________ into the positions they are in now.

6. Tectonic plates
a. Movement is caused by ___________ from Earths _________
and ___________.
b. New rock forms at _____________ _____________.
c. Old rock is recycled at ____________ ____________.

7. Boundaries
a. Convergent boundary
i. Places where two sections of crust are sliding _____________ each other.
1. One section will be forced __________ the other.
b. Divergent Boundary
i. Places where two sections of crust are sliding _________ from each other.
1. __________ can push up through the boundary and creates new crust.
c. Transverse boundary
i. Places where two sections of crust slide __________ each other.

8. Volcanoes
a. Form at both _________________ and ________________ boundaries.
b. Formed by _________ ___________.
i. Regions fed by the underlying _____________.

9. Ridges

a. Created at divergent boundaries where two sections of ______________

____________ slide away from each other.

10.

Trenches

a. Created at ______________ boundaries where oceanic crust subducts

under continental crust.

11.

Earthquakes

a. Occur mostly at _________ lines.

i.
where plates move against each other.