Theory Of Continental Drift

• Alfred Wegener

• It is this German man to whom

we credit with the proposal of
the theory of Continental Drift.
• While pondering
the similarities
between the
coastlines of South
America and
Africa, Wegener
came up with an
idea:
• What if the
continents were
once all connected
and just drifted
over the years?
Wegener’s evidence for Continental drift

• Ferns and Reptiles in many different continents

• Glaciers that were then tropical forests
• Same types of rocks on continents close to each
other (yet separated by an ocean)
• The coastlines of Africa and South America
 The Flaw in Wegener’s Theory

• He thought that each of the continents were a

separate plate--they were just drifting on a never-
changing ocean.

• Like styro-foam floating on a pool of water!!

Canadian Correction

• J. Tuzo Wilson

• the 1960’s Canadian scientist who

resurrected Wegener’s theory after
years of disbelief by the science
community.

• Today, we know that that's false,

thanks to the discovery of crustal
plates.

• The plates of the earth are not

composed of just land; they're
composed of ocean too.
Canadian Correction – cont’d

• In some cases, the plates are just

land, in others they're just ocean,
and, in still other cases, they consist
of land and ocean.

• They each have different boundaries

and move in all different directions.
Plates of the earth p. 12
Continental Drift

• refers to the movement of

the more than 20 plates
(9 major) due to
convergent, divergent,
and transform
boundaries.
• The continents drift at a
rate of 2 inches a year.
• Started 200 million years
ago
• Pangea (land) &
Panthalasa (sea)
More about Continental Drift

• our text p. 10

• watch it at:
• http://www.ucmp.berkeley.
edu/geology/tectonics.html
Plate Tectonics

• Tectonic plates move or float on top of the

upper mantle.

• However they do not float freely.

• The plates are forced in specific directions

by the flow of magma beneath.
 Plate Tectonics – cont’d

• Plates move with the flow of magma.

• The magma closer to the core heats and then

rises towards the surface as its density decreases.

• Once the rising magma reaches the lithosphere it

moves in opposite directions.

• The magma forms convectional currents.

Plate Tectonics – Convection Currents
 Divergent Boundaries

• Tensional Forces occur where two tectonic plates

are pushed apart. The tension is created as the
plates move away from each other.

• Ridge Zones sometimes occur where two plates

move apart. The magma rises between the plates
and forms a ridge.

• Again caused by convectional currents in the

magma
 Tensional Forces – Ridge Zones

This diagram above shows “Sea Floor Spreading”

Where’s the TENSION?
Convergent Boundaries

• Compressional Forces occur where two tectonic

plates come together. They compress against each
other.

• Subduction Zones sometimes occur where

compressional forces result from two plates colliding
and one plate slips under the other.

• Again caused by convectional currents in the

magma
Compressional Forces – Subduction
Where’s the Subduction /
Compression?
More about Plate Tectonics

• our text p. 10 - 12

• watch it at:
• http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/tecto
nics/intro.html