Plate Tectonic Theory

surface Tectonic Theory A revolution in geology began about 100 years ago with the hypothesis that the continents use up non always been in their familiarize-day positions after the breakup of a supercontinent managen as Pangaea. But the evidence of continental ill-scented up included the fit between the coastlines of continents is stronger when the fits is made along the unbent edge of the continent. In addition, geologic feature such(prenominal) as mountain ranges, ancient glacial deposits, and rock types match precise closely on two sides of the Atlantic Ocean, which know separates these continents. twinned fossils can be found on both sides of the ocean. some ar from plants and animals that could not have crossed a liberal body of water and that could have thrived at contrasting at different latitudes than the present location of the fossil. According to home base architectonics, the lithosphere has fragmented into several large plates. These pla tes essentially suck on an underlying layer of hot, ductile rock called the asthenosphere. The asthenosphere is in slow, only constant, motion and this forces the more rigid lithospheric plates to move around, collide, break off apart, or slide past each other. At present in that location are six major lithospheric plates and many another(prenominal) smaller ones.

Plate tectonics unifies the processes of continental drift, seafloor spreading, mountain building, faulting, earthquakes, and volcanism into the tectonic round of golf. The tectonic cycle creates and recycles oceanic crust on a time case of rough ly 200 one million million years. Contine! ntal crust lasts very much longer, and its recycling involves processes such as weathering and erosion. The release of heat from Earths midland creates huge convection cells, which are at least partly creditworthy for driving plate motion. Convection brings hot rock up from deeply in the cerebral mantle and recycles cold rock back into the mantle. umpteen unanswered questions persist in about convection cells; for example, hot rock alike rises in plumes that do not seem to be...If you want to own a in effect(p) essay, order it on our website: OrderCustomPaper.com

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