Plate Tectonics W/ Tectonic Plates Flashcards
But first what is the difference of plate tectonics and tectonic plates?
Plate tectonics = movement/forces
Tectonic plates = rigid parts/rocks fit like a jigsaw puzzle and pieces of the earth.
The movement of the plates is caused by the convection currents that are created within the mantle as an effect of the heat from the Earth’s interior.
Plate tectonics
• Heat from the Earth’s core causes the —— of the ——— mantle.
• As the lower mantle gets ——, it becomes ——— dense and ———.
heating, lower
hotter, less, rises
• As it reaches the —— portion of the mantle it ——, and becomes ——-, and ——.
upper, cools, denser, sinks
• So, the mantle rocks move in an ——— that is due to ———
up-and-down circular motion, convection current.
• These convection currents, in turn, affect the —— mantle and make it —— to movement.
inner, prone
Since the inner mantle is subject to movement,
the lithosphere around it is
not in one piece but instead broken into several plates called
Tectonic plates
THE EARTH’S MAJOR TECTONIC
PLATES ARE:
• African Plate
• Antarctic Plate
• Eurasian Plate
• Australian-Indian Plate
• North American Plate
• Pacific Plate
• South American Plate
= is the theory that decribes this phenomena.
• Plate Tectonics
Plate tectonics is characterized by two processes:
Spreading
Subduction
= occurs when two plates move away from each other and new crust is created by upwelling magma from below.
• Spreading
= when one plate goes under the edge of another plate.
• Subduction
• It occurs when two plates collide and the edge of one dives beneath the other and ends up being destroyed in the mantle.
• Subduction
• Earthquakes are much common at the ———
plate boundaries
