Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.

Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Theory of continental drift

Tectonic Plate Movement
• The Earth's lithosphere makes up the TECTONIC PLATES.
• The tectonics plates have a lower density than the
molten MAGMA below them, so float on top (of
magma).
Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Theory of continental drift

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RA2-Vc4PIOY
2.22-4.09
Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Theory of continental drift

Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Location of Tectonic Plates

Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Location of Tectonic Plates

Looking at the map of Tectonic plates, hypothesise why New Zealand
and Japan are geologically active places (for earthquakes and
volcano eruptions).

Go to the following website and answer the questions below:

- Type into google “national geographic plate tectonics ring of fire”
https://www.nationalgeographic.org/news/plate-tectonics-ring-fire/?utm_source=BibblioRCM_Row

1. What is “The Ring of Fire”?

2. Describe and define the three types of boundaries at the
tectonic plates
3. New Zealand and Japan are geologically active places; why is this
the case?
 Tectonic plate movement
Why do plates move?
• Convection currents may not be enough to move
tectonic plates.
• Other theories that have been put forward include:

Slab Pull
- Gravity pulls heavier/denser part of tectonic plates downward (the
denser part is at the continent boundaries).
- This pulls the plate into a trench and away from ocean ridges
- This creates gaps at mid ocean ridges

. Ridge Push
- New ocean crust forms at the ridges above the rest of the crust
and so gravity pulls the new crust downward
- This pushes the older crust below it and squeezes plates sideways
Tectonic Plate movement
Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.
Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Theory of continental drift

• Alfred Wegener could not explain HOW the continents moved,
only that they were once joined together.
• In 1925 German scientists used sonar to confirm that a ridge line
ran the entire length of the Atlantic Ocean.
• In 1945 further ridges were discovered in oceans around the
world.
• In 1953 the ridges were found to have a series of huge cracks
along them, these are called rifts. This is the Great Global Rift
system.
• The rift system demonstrates that…
Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Theory of continental drift

The Great Global Rift System
Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Theory of continental drift

• In 1962 (approximately 50 years after Alfred Wegner proposed
continental drift) Harry Hess proposed a mechanism to help drive
continental drift.
• This mechanism was termed sea floor spreading.
Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Theory of continental drift

• Sea floor spreading: In this process new rocky crust was being
formed at the ocean ridges and spreading outwards.
• Hess proposed that the crust was sinking down into Earth, forming
ocean trenches.
• As the crust sinks, termed subduction, it is melted and destroyed.
Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Evidence for Hess’ Theory

Magnetic Striping Age of Sea Floor Sediment Thickness

https://www.youtube.com/watch? https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=JJEZ3Vizdww v=RTTr_6vfibc
Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Rifts and Ridges

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neBbSjWUUgY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGye6vlOpbY
Extreme: Evaluate the credibility of the theory of plate tectonics.
Challenge: Compare the evidence for plate tectonics regarding plant species.
Learning: Recall how Pangea and Gondwana relate to plate tectonics.

Rifts and Ridges

Answer the following questions:

1. What is a rift?
2. Many rift valleys are apart of what type of boundary?
3. Most of the deepest rift valleys are found where?
4. Using google images of rift valleys find two that have countries on or
near them-observe images of these sites of rifts in these countries.
5. Of your two rifts above-how are they being formed-what plates are moving?
6. How was the red sea created? Where is the Red sea?
7. Identify on a map one rift lake.
8. What were “finds in the rifts”.
9. What does Valles Marineris suggest about space travel and Earths future?