The History of plate tectonics Before the plate tectonics revolution of the 1960’s geographers had a very basic understanding of global geological phenomena’s. while there had been many theory’s put fort that were used to try and explain these phenomena’s none had been completely successful till finally In the 1960’s The theory of plate tectonics was put forth. It was truly a unifying concept as it helps us to explain and finally understand many different aspects of geography such as the geography
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theory of plate tectonics help to explain the world distribution of earthquake and volcanic zones? The Earth’s crust is made up of seven major plates and several smaller plates. These plates drift on top of the mantle. When two plates meet‚ they can either be constructive‚ destructive or conservative. At a conservative plate margin‚ one plate moves past another. As the plates are not smooth‚ great amounts of tension build up and earthquakes are made when the tension is released and the plate moves
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Plate boundaries Plate Boundaries is a theory of the global movement over a period of time. There are three main types of plate boundaries they are‚ transform boundaries‚ convergent boundaries‚ and divergent boundaries. Transform boundaries are where two plates are sliding past each other. These areas are also known as faults. Most transform boundaries are found on the ocean floor‚ a few however are found on land. Since these boundaries do not crunch together they to not tear or break
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Plate Tectonics: An Essay By: Grace Park Science 9 Mr. Achor 11-22-11 In the early 1900’s‚ scientists began to ask questions about the earth and it’s continents. Why are the same fossils found on opposite sides of the globe? Why do South America and Africa seem to fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle? Some scientists went to rather extreme measures to explain these strange phenomenons. Others took the time to come up with detailed theories
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CONSERVATIVE PLATE MARGINS (TRANSFORM FAULTS): When two plates slide past each other they create a conservative plate margin. The relative movement is horizontal‚ and classified as either sinistral (moving to the left) or dextral (moving to the right). Along these margins crust (lithosphere) is not being destroyed by subduction‚ neither is it being created. There is no melting of rock‚ and‚ therefore‚ no volcanic activity or formation of new crust. Despite the absence of volcanic activity‚ these
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The plate tectonic theory is the theory that describes large amounts of movements in the Earths lithosphere‚ whereby Continental and Oceanic crust is moved‚ destroyed and made from this. The idea of plate tectonics builds on other concepts such as continental drift‚ where continental plates over millions of years move‚ however the concept of continental drift was not accepted for some time‚ and there were many other theories to suggest that something else took place‚ as the idea of the earth moving
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Volcanic and seismic events are major pieces of evidence towards proving that the plate tectonics theory is valid. The theory of tectonic plates was first posed by Alfred Wenger in 1912. Is the theory of how the earth lithosphere is made up of many separate pieces of the earth’s crust known as tectonic plates. He put forward the idea that all the earth’s continents were once conjoined in one supercontinent called Pangaea‚ and that these continents were moved by convection currents over a period
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Continental drift is the idea that the earth’s continents are drifting away‚ relative to each other across the ocean bed suggested by Alfred Wegner as part of his wider theory on plate tectonics. The plate tectonic theory suggested by Alfred Wegner in 1915 was that millions of years ago all the continents were joined together in one mass of land called ‘Pangaea’‚ the evidence for this was that coal was found on Antarctica‚ the shape of Africa and south America fit together and same fossils were
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“The extent to which tectonic processes represent hazards depends on when and where they are experienced.” Tectonic hazards are dangers caused by the movement of the earth’s plates. The majority of hazards represent by plate tectonic occur at plate margins where two plates meet. These natural processes become hazardous when they affect people and cause material losses such as the destruction of infrastructure as this inhibits sustainable development. These hazards can be reduced depending on when
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‘Evaluate how plate tectonics theory helps our understanding of the distribution of seismic and volcanic events’ In 1912‚ Alfred Wegener published his theory that a single super continent named Pangaea once existed about 300 million years ago. He proposed that Pangaea then later split into two continents of Laurasia in the north and Gondwanaland in the south and that today’s continents were the result of further splitting of these two land masses. Where the plates split are known as plate boundaries
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