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Tectonic Plates
Learn about the tectonic plates!
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Divergent | Plates move apart to create new crust |
| Divergent Boundary Features | Ridges, rift valleys, and ocean basins form here |
| Convergent | Plates move toward each other, destroying or uplifting crust |
| Convergent Boundary Features | Mountains, trenches, volcanoes, and earthquakes |
| Transform | Plates slide past each other causing faults and earthquakes |
| Where are ridges formed? | Formed at divergent boundaries where magma rises |
| What are ridges? | Common at oceanic-oceanic boundaries |
| earthquakes | Occur at all boundary types due to plate movement |
| ocean basins | Form at divergent oceanic-oceanic boundaries |
| rift valleys | Form on land when continental crust splits apart |
| volcanoes | Form at convergent or divergent boundaries when magma reaches surface |
| mountains | Form at convergent continental-continental boundaries |
| trenches | Deep ocean depressions where subduction occurs |
| faults | Cracks in the crust where plates slide past each other |
| seafloor spreading | Process that forms new oceanic crust at ridges |
| Plate Boundaries Summary | Divergent = divide, Convergent = collide, Transform = slide |
| Subduction | Process where denser oceanic crust sinks beneath lighter crust |
| Collision | When two continental plates push up mountains |
| Rifting | When crust thins and pulls apart creating valleys |
| Pacific Plate | Large oceanic plate under the Pacific Ocean |
| North American Plate | Includes North America and part of the Atlantic seafloor |
| South American Plate | Includes South America and Atlantic seafloor |
| Eurasian Plate | Covers Europe and most of Asia |
| African Plate | Covers Africa and surrounding ocean floor |
| Indo-Australian Plate | Covers Australia and Indian Ocean region |
| Antarctic Plate | Covers Antarctica and surrounding seafloor |
| Nazca Plate | Oceanic plate off west coast of South America |
| Cocos Plate | Oceanic plate off coast of Central America |
| Philippine Plate | Oceanic plate near the Philippines |
| Caribbean Plate | Plate beneath the Caribbean region |
| Arabian Plate | Plate beneath the Middle East region |
| Yellowstone | Supervolcano and hotspot under North America |
| Hawaii | Hotspot forming volcanic island chain in Pacific Ocean |
| Iceland | Hotspot and divergent ridge above the Mid-Atlantic Ridge |
| Galapagos Islands | Hotspot near Ecuador forming volcanic islands |
| Toba | Supervolcano in Indonesia that erupted ~74,000 years ago |
| Taupo | Supervolcano in New Zealand |
| Hotspot | Rising plume of hot mantle forming volcanoes away from boundaries |
| Continental Drift Theory | Continents once formed Pangaea and drifted apart |
| Plate Tectonics Theory | Lithospheric plates move on the semi-fluid asthenosphere |
| Seafloor Spreading Theory | New crust forms at mid-ocean ridges and moves outward |
| Subduction Theory | Old crust sinks beneath lighter continental crust |
| Law of Superposition | Oldest rock layers at bottom, youngest on top |
| Uniformitarianism | Earth’s processes today are the same as in the past |
| Isostasy | Crust floats in balance on denser mantle |
| Paleomagnetism | Magnetic patterns in rocks prove seafloor spreading |
| Theory of Continental Drift | Wegener’s idea that continents were once joined as Pangaea |
| Evidence for Continental Drift | Fossils, continental fit, glaciers, and rock formations across oceans |
| Fossil Evidence | Similar fossils found on now-separated continents |
| Continental Fit | Continents like South America and Africa fit together |
| Glacial Evidence | Glacial marks found in tropical regions show past movement |
| Landform and Rock Evidence | Matching mountain ranges and rocks across oceans |
| Alfred Wegener | Proposed the Continental Drift Theory |
| Harry Hess | Discovered seafloor spreading supporting Wegener’s idea |
| Harry Hess Discovery | Mountains, valleys, and volcanoes on the ocean floor |
| Plate Movement Cause | Mantle convection currents move tectonic plates |
| Divergent Boundary Examples | Mid-Atlantic Ridge, East African Rift Valley |
| Convergent Ocean-Ocean | Forms trenches and volcanic island arcs (Mariana Trench) |
| Convergent Ocean-Continent | Forms trenches and volcanic mountains (Andes) |
| Convergent Continent-Continent | Forms folded mountains (Himalayas) |
| Transform Boundary Example | San Andreas Fault where plates slide past |
| Oceanic Crust | Dense crust that subducts under continental crust |
| Sea-floor Spreading | New crust forms at ridges as magma rises and cools |
| Earth’s Surface Stability | Crust destroyed at subduction zones balances new crust creation |
| Conduction | Heat transfer by direct contact |
| Radiation | Heat transfer through electromagnetic waves |
| Convection | Heat transfer by movement of fluids |
| Convection in the Mantle | Hot mantle rises, cool mantle sinks—drives plate motion |
| Convection Example - Macaroni | Macaroni rises and falls in boiling water due to convection |
| Conduction Example - Spoon | Metal spoon heats up in hot liquid |
| Radiation Example - Sun | Sunlight warms your skin without contact |
| Hot Air Balloon | Rises because hot air is less dense |
| Warm Air | Moves upward and collects near ceilings |
| Lava Lamp Example | Wax rises when heated and sinks when cooled |
| Sidewalk Heating | Sunlight warms concrete through radiation |
| Sidewalk Burns Feet | Heat transfers to skin by conduction |
| Hot Fluid | Less dense and rises upward |
| Cold Fluid | More dense and sinks downward |
| Thermal Equilibrium | Heat moves from hot to cold until temperatures are equal |
Created by:
JudeBellingham
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