PLATE

TECTONICS

Presentation by:
James Bernard R. Quiben
10 - Thomson
What is Plate Tectonics?

- Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth's outer shell is divided into
several plates that glide over the mantle, the rocky inner layer above the
core. Plates move because of the intense heat in the Earth's core
that causes molten rock in the mantle layer to move. It moves in a pattern
called a convection cell that forms when warm material rises, cools, and
eventually sink down.
Who proposed Plate Tectonics?

- Alfred Wegener
- German researcher
- Born 1 November 1880
- Died November 1930

- He proposed the Continental Drift Theory which is the older version

of plate tectonic theory. According to the continental drift theory, the seven
continents today was once connected before forming a single land mass
known as "Pangaea". This theory tells us that the crustal plates are moving or
drifting making the seven continents located in their position today.
What are the evidences
of Continental Drift?

Jigsaw puzzle - The edge and shape of the continent tells us that they are
connected before.

Evidence from Fossil - Some fossil located in South America are also
located to Africa in which it tells us that they are connected before.
Coal deposit - Antarctica today doesn't support plant life, but coal beds were
discovered in which it tells us that Antarctica is not located near the south
pole but it is situated in an area capable of sustaining plant life and animals.

Evidence From rocks- Rock formation in South America is connected to

Africa.
Seafloor Spreading - It is a process that occurs at mid-ocean ridges, where
new oceanic crust is formed through volcanic activity and then gradually
moves away from the ridge. When oceanic plates diverge, tensional stress
causes fractures to occur in the lithosphere.

Convection Current - The reason why the plates are moving in a certain
direction, it also occurs because of the heat inside the mantle.
Pangaea
- Pangaea is the name of the supercontinent that is said to have existed
millions of years ago. It was first proposed by Alfred Wegener in 1912 but
wasn’t supported by other scientists because of lack of evidence. The
existence of Pangea is part of Wegener's Theory of Continental Drift.
 - Pangaea began to fall apart during the Jurassic. First, a
three-armed rift formed between what would become the continents of Africa,
South America, and North America. Volcanic activity created a basin that would
later become the Atlantic Ocean. Pangaea was first split into two
paleocontinents, Laurazia and Gondwana. Then both paleocontinents split
further into the continents of today.
What are Plate Boundaries?

The plate boundary is the boundary that separates two tectonic plates.
Earth's outer layer, the crust, is divided into a set of large moving plates. The
lines where they meet are called plate boundaries. There are three main types
of plate boundary: divergent, convergent and transform. Plates move away
from one another at divergent boundaries.
Types of Plate Boundaries

Convergent plate boundary - the plates collide each other geologic

activities might form such as trenches , volcanoes and mountains.

Divergent plate boundary - the plates move away from each other,
geologic activities might form such as rift valleys.

Transform plate boundary - the plate slide past each other, geologic
activities might form such as ocean ridges.
 Geological Features

- Geological Features are usually the result of the powerful tectonic

forces that occur within the earth. These forces fold and break rocks, form deep
faults, and build mountains. Structural geology is the study of the processes that
result in the formation of geologic structures and how these structures affect
rocks.

The term can be defined as any physical feature of the earth's surface or

of the rocks exposed at the surface that is formed by a geologic process.
Geological Features in my Area

Some of the geological features that affect my particular location or

area are the medium sized mountains where the town hospital is located. The
entrance is very steep causing residents some difficulty if they ever want to go
to the nearest hospital, this feature has greatly affected the nearby residents of
the area as well. Due to the height of the mountain, residents are now seeing
this location as an ideal evacuation area in case of a flood occurrence in the
future, In terms of housing, people see no problem in building their houses in
the said area.
Thanks for
Watching!