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Theory of plate tectonics (Vocabulary (Plate tectonics: the lithosphere of…
Theory of plate tectonics
Vocabulary
Plate tectonics: the lithosphere of the earth is divided into a small number of plates which float on and travel independently over the mantle and much of the earth's seismic activity occurs at the boundaries of these plates.
Lithosphere: the rigid, outermost shell of a terrestrial-type planet, or natural satellite, that is defined by its rigid mechanical properties.
Convection: Convection is heat transfer by mass motion of a fluid such as air or water when the heated fluid is caused to move away from the source of heat, carrying energy with it.
Ridge push or sliding plate force is a proposed driving force for plate motion in plate tectonics.
Slab Pull: Slab pull is that part of the motion of a tectonic plate that is caused by its subduction.
Plate Boundaries
Divergent Plate Boundaries: In plate tectonics, a divergent boundary or divergent plate boundary is a linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other.
Transform plate boundaries: A transform fault or transform boundary is a plate boundary where the motion is predominantly horizontal. It ends abruptly and is connected to another transform, a spreading ridge, or a subduction zone.
Convergent plate boundaries: also known as a destructive plate boundary, is a region of active deformation where two or more tectonic plates or fragments of the lithosphere are near the end of their life cycle.
Lithos Sphere: the rigid outer part of the earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle.
Plate Motion
The main objection of wegener's continental drift hypothesis was that he could not explain why or how continents move. Scientist now understand that continents move because the asthenosphere moves underneath the lithosphere.
Convection Currents: heat transfer due to bulk movement of molecules within fluids such as gases and liquids, including molten rock. Convection takes place through advection, diffusion or both.
Forces causing plate motion: Basal Drag, Ridge Push, and Slab pull
Basal Push: As seen, this is not true considering the large shear zone created by the asthenosphere that allows lithospheric plates to slide around the Earth.
Ridge Push: force is a proposed driving force for plate motion in plate tectonics that occurs at mid-ocean ridges as the result of the rigid lithosphere sliding down the hot, raised asthenosphere below mid-ocean ridges.
Slab Pull: part of the motion of a tectonic plate that is caused by its subduction. Plate motion is partly driven by the weight of cold, dense plates sinking into the mantle at oceanic trenches.
By: Sebastian Fuenmayor
