Continental drift

-Plate Tectonic Basics ,

-Plate Tectonic theory and
-Dynamics

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 Continental Drift: An Idea before
Its Time
• The idea that continents, particularly South America and
Africa, fit together like pieces of jigsaw puzzle originated
with improved world maps.
• -Alfred Wegener-a German climatologist & Geophysicist-
1915- The origin of continents and Oceans- Continental
Drift
• -Super continent- Pangaea-all land- breaking into
smaller continents (200 my).
• -Evidences- fit of South America & Africa, fossils, rock
structures & ancient climates

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 Plate Tectonic Basics, Plate tectonic
theory and dynamics

“A revolutionary new model of earth’s

tectonic processes”
• -Early 20th century-continental drift about
the face of earth.
• -Debate-1950/60-new evidence
• -1968-a far more encompassing theory-
plate tectonics
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• Plate tectonics is the study of the lithosphere, the outer
portion of the earth consisting of the crust and part of the
upper mantle.
• The lithosphere is divided into about a dozen large plates
which move and interact with one another to create
earthquakes, mountain ranges, volcanic activity, ocean
trenches and many other features.
• Continents and ocean basis are moved and changed in
shape as a result of these plate movements.

Alternatively

• A theory that the Earth outer shell consists of a series of

rigid plates known as the lithosphere. These plates move in
response to convection currents within the mantle. The
interactions of the plates at their boundaries yield
earthquakes, volcanic activity, ocean trenches, island
chains, mountain ranges and other features.
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 Plate Boundaries
• Convergent plate boundaries
• Divergent plate boundaries
• Transform plate boundaries

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 Convergent plate boundaries
• Convergent plate
boundaries are locations
where lithospheric plates
are moving towards one
another. The plate
collisions that occur in
these areas can produce
earthquakes, volcanic
activity and crustal
deformation.
- Oceanic and Continental
Plates
- Oceanic
- Continental
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 Divergent plate boundaries
• Divergent plate boundaries are locations where
plates are moving away from one another.
• This occurs above rising convection currents.
The rising current pushes up on the bottom of
the lithosphere, lifting it and flowing laterally
beneath it.
• This lateral flow causes the plate material above
to be dragged along in the direction of flow.
• At the crest of the uplift, the overlying plate is
stretched thin, breaks and pulls apart.
- Oceanic
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 Transform plate boundaries
• Transform Plate Boundaries are locations where
two plates slide past one another.
• The fracture zone that forms a transform plate
boundary is known as a transform fault.
• Most transform faults are found in the ocean
basin and connect offsets in the mid-ocean
ridges.
• A smaller number connect mid-ocean ridges
and subduction zones.

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