Plate tectonics is the theory that explains how large pieces of the earths outermost layer, called tectonic plates, move and change shape. A free powerpoint ppt presentation displayed as a flash slide show on id. What mountain range demonstrates one of the most visible and spectacular consequences of plate tectonics. Lithosphere is divided into plates that slide around on top of the slowly moving mesosphere tectonic plates it occurred after the breakup of pangaea, and since then the continents have drifted apart the pictures show continental drift theory from 225 million years to present. Difference between continental drift and plate tectonics. Reducing the pre plate tectonic mode to a single behavioural regime. The lithosphere is divided into moving segments that change. Pdf palaeogeography is the cartographic representation of the past distribution of geographic features such as deep oceans. The theory of plate tectonics was proposed in 1960s based on the theory of continental drift. The difference between continental drift and plate. The lithosphere is broken up into what are called tectonic plates in the. Fun hands on activities, notes and critical thinking to build students understanding about plate tectonics, earths layers, and plate boundaries, and continental drift.
Plate tectonics wikipedia, the free encyclopedia harvard university. The book is aimed at the interested nonscientist, butwill be valuable reading for alevel science and. Continental drift, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics. Continental drift and plate tectonics f you look closely at a world map, you might notice something about the coastlines of south america and africa. The study of the origin and arrangement of earth surface including mountain belts, continents, and earthquake belts. Oreo cookies and plate tectonics worksheet answers. Continental drift and plate tectonics full version pdfbookslib.
The presentation about plate tectonics is divided into 3 separate discussions. Pangea pangaea continent maps illustrations transformation of continents plate tectonics continental drift permian triassic jurassic cretaceous present according to the continental drift theory, the supercontinent pangaea began to break up about million years ago, eventually fragmenting into the continents as we know them today. Discuss here in your discussion, you need to bring out the reasons why continental drift theory faced resistance and the reasons why plate tectonics provides a better explanation for the earths structure. According to the theory of plate tectonics, the earths lithosphere is broken into distinct plates which are. Also check out our bestselling, standardsbased plate tectonics test. Continental drift wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Hypotheses like continental drift, plate tectonics or earths expansion should not. Continental drift is a theory first presented by abraham ortelius abraham ortels in 1596. Some of the worksheets below are tectonic plates worksheets, predicting tectonic activity, definition of plate composition, plate movement, types of plate boundary, continentcontinent collision, handson activities, with colorful diagrams along with questions and answers at. This approach is meant to highlight the historical development of the theory of plate tectonics.
Chapter 1 from continental drift to plate tectonics naomi oreskes since the l6th century, cartographers have noticed the jigsawpuzzle fit of the continental edges. Plate tectonics concept the earth 1 beneath our feet is not dead. Describe the type of plate boundary that forms mountains and islands. Tuzo wilson offered a fundamental reinterpretation of wegeners continental drift theory and became the first person to use the term plates to describe the division and pattern of relative movement between different regions of the earths surface i. Plate tectonics the tectonic plates of the world were mapped in the second half of the 20th century. Continental drift, seafloor spreading and plate tectonics.
Continental drift worksheets teachers pay teachers. Continental drift timeline activity sheet continental. The idea was not quite correct compared to the plate tectonics theory of today but his thinking was on the proper track. In addition, a variant spelling of pangaea is pangea. Convection current theory cct convection current theory forms the basis of sfst and pt. Each type of interaction causes a characteristic set of earth structures or tectonic features. Continental drift, sea floor spreading and plate tectonics plate tectonics is a theory developed in the late 1960s, to explain how the outer layers of the earth move and deform. Plate tectonics theory the upper most mantle, along with overlying crust, behaves as a strong, rigid layer. Having subsumed earliertheories of continental drift and seafloor spreading, plate tectonics itself is now evolving into a truly global theory of planetary circulation.
Pangea continent map continental drift supercontinent. What physical evidence is there to support the theory of. Look at the diagram under the continental continental information. Since the development of the theory, geologists have had to reexamine almost every. What are four pieces of evidence for continental drift. Continental drift and plate tectonics from the time maps of the globe became available, people wondered about the arrangement of the continents and oceans. Who proposed the theory and what evidence did he provide to prove his theory. According to the theory of continental drift, the world was made up of a single continent through most of geologic time.
Alfred wegener was the first to offer a comprehensive theory about continental drift but failed to provide a feasible explanation about how continents actually. The structure of the earth, plate tectonics and landforms. Plate tectonics it was from the continental drift theory, convection current theory and the theory of seafloor spreading, the theory of plate tectonics was formulated. The contribution of hess hess measured the oceans to the deepest points to date, 10. Mineral deposits, continental drift, and plate tectonics. This plate motion causes them to collide, pull apart, or scrape against each other. Most of the earth is earthquake free with earthquakes concentrated in narrow zones that outline the plate boundaries.
Continental drift and seafloor spreading he the of. He also proposed a tectonic cycle the wilson cycle. Continental drift and plate tectonics a brief history what is continental drift. In the early 1900s, alfred wegener proposed the idea of continental drift. The theory has caused a revolution in the way we think about the earth. The difference between continental drift and plate tectonic theory. Proposed by german meteorologist alfred wegener in 1912 all continents were once.
However, wegeners theory of continental drift, which was published in 1915 and is regarded by many as the direct precursor of modern plate tectonics, contributed astonishingly little to the understanding of mountain building processes. Plate tectonic theory arose out of the hypothesis of continental drift. This concept was an important precursor to the development of the theory of plate tectonics, which incorporates it. Plate tectonicscontinental drift and mountain building find, read and cite all the research you. Plate tectonics the earths crust is divided into plates which are moved in various directions. But when i talk to them in my office about plate tectonics, minerals, volcanoes, etc. The development of the theory is an excellent example of the cumulative nature of science and the scientifc. Plate tectonics describes the distribution and motion of the plates. Plate tectonics and continental drift worksheet answers. Introduction explain continental drift theory along with the person who gave this theory. Plate tectonics is the grand, unifying theory of earth sciences, combining the concepts of continental drift and seafloor spreading into one holistic theory that explains many of the major structural features of the earths surface. That continent eventually separated and drifted apart, forming into the seven.
Large pieces of the lithosphere that float on the asthenosphere are called. However, history has proven that most theories that are groundbreaking revelations seem outlandish in their initial stages. What one large continent was named by alfred wegner. His ideas centered around continents moving across the face of the earth. Noahs flood and catastrophic plate tectonics from pangea to today duration. Wegeners continental drift argument with claim evidence. What are the 4 pieces of evidence for continental drift. Enrol and complete the course for a free statement of participation or digital badge. It was not until 1912 that the idea of moving continents was seriously considered as a fullblown scientific theory called.
Continental drift, largescale horizontal movement of continents relative to one another and to the ocean basins during one or more episodes of geologic time. So whats the difference between continental drift and plate tectonics. Plate tectonics west virginia geological and economic survey. Plate tectonics is a theory developed in the late 1960s, to explain how the outer layers of the. Continental drift and plate tectonics full versionbook description. The continental drift theory states that the continents were once parts of a supercontinent called pangea. Fossils, puzzle fit, glacial grooves, rock strata, mountain belts.
Scientists had determined that the forces he claimed were responsible for the continental drift were in fact not strong enough to do so. Plate tectonics pt plate tectonics is the movement of lithospheric plates relative to each other. The theory encompasses the older concepts of continental drift, developed. What happens when two continents meet headon, meet headon and neither is subducted. Ppt continental drift and plate tectonics powerpoint. Frisch and meschede and blakey answer all these questions and more through the presentation and explanation of the geodynamic processes upon which the theory of continental drift is based and which have led to the concept of plate tectonics. From wikipedia, the free encyclopedia plate tectonics from greek, tekton builder or mason describes the large scale motions of earths lithosphere. Explain the process that causes the earths tectonic plates to move. He discovered hundreds of flattopped mountains on the pacific floor. Apart from things like mountain ranges, fracture zones, volcanic arcs and midocean ridges. What are the theories of continental drift and plate tectonics. Continental drift plates in the crust of the earth, according to the plate tectonics theory from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia continental drift is the movement of the earths continents relative to each other. Geophysicist jack oliver is credited with providing seismologic evidence supporting plate tectonics which encompassed and superseded continental drift with the article seismology and the new global tectonics, published in 1968, using data collected from seismologic stations, including those he set up in the south pacific.
The book is aimed at the interested nonscientist, butwill be valuable reading for alevel science and geography students and firstyear undergraduates. Contractional theory, continental drift and plate tectonics. In addition to accounting for earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains, and oceanic ridges as well as the geographic fit of continental margins, plate tectonics and continental drift have explained many curious facts. Continental drift and plate tectonics full version. The concept was independently developed by german geologist alfred wegener in 1912. In 1967, mckenzie and parker suggested the theory of plate tectonics. What is not true about the theory of plate tectonics. Low prep and no prep activities covering all you need for your plate tectonics unit including. Continental drift theory alfred wegener, 1922 plate tectonics breakup of pangea.
784 73 896 1274 575 756 1206 969 507 1210 1404 1143 1512 1295 809 674 925 823 416 203 1464 701 44 636 468 203 1241 1079 414 1397 374 218 1209 882 1564 456 425 570 115 73 252 12 1495 1130