Plate Tectonics

Structure of the Earth

The Earth is made up of the following four layers:

Crust is the solid rocky outer which is approximately 5-70 km thick. It is divided into two oceanic
crust and continental crust. The oceanic crust is found under the sea, and it is thinner and denser than
the continental crust. The continental crust is mostly formed of granite.

Mantle: is semi-molten (partly melted) and about 3,000 km thick. The upper layer is more mobile and
subject to convection currents. It is approximately 1200°C.

Outer Core: is 2000km thick, semi-molten liquid and consists largely of iron. It is approximately
5000°C.

Inner Core: It is a very dense solid made of iron and nickel. It is five times denser than surface rocks.
It is approximately 5500-6200°C.

DRAW: Structure of the Earth (see also EM pg 144)

Plate Tectonics:
Continental drift describes one of the earliest ways geologists thought continents moved over time.
Today, the theory of continental drift has been replaced by the science of plate tectonics. The map
below displays the early "supercontinent," known as Gondwana. Through convection currents, this
“supercontinent” eventually moved to form the continents we know today. Fossils of similar organisms
across different continents, which are thousands of kilometers apart supports the theory of continental
drift.

OPTIONAL DRAWING: Gondwana

The Earth’s crust is divided into 12 major plates which are moved in various directions. This plate
motion causes them to collide, pull apart, or scrape against each other. Each individual type of plate
movement results in a characteristic set of Earth structures or “tectonic” features. The word, tectonic,
refers to the deformation (change in shape) of the crust because of plate interaction.
DRAW/TRACE (DO NOT PRINT): The World’s Plates
(see also Complete Gep pg 88 fig 3 for the type of plate margins)

The World’s Plates for your personal reference:

Plates and Plate Boundaries
The Earth’s crust is broken up into pieces which are called plates and the point where two plates meet
is called a plate boundary.
Heat rising and falling inside the mantle creates convection currents and these move the plates. The
movement of the plates and the activity inside of the Earth is called Plate Tectonics. Plate tectonics
cause earthquakes and volcanoes to occur around the world either on or near plate boundaries.

Convection Currents
COPY: Complete Geo pg 88 “why do plates move”

DRAW: Complete Geo pg 88 fig 3.7 how convection currents in the mantle cause the plates to move.

Convection currents for your personal reference- Take note of the arrow directions: