THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS

 Main Principles of Plate Tectonics

A. The Earth’s outermost rigid layer (lithosphere) is
broken into discrete plates each moving more or
less as a unit.
B. Drivenby mantle convection, the lithospheric
plates ride over the soft, ductile asthenosphere.
C. Different types of relative motion and different
types of lithosphere at plate boundaries create a
distinctive sets of geologic features
 THEORY OF PLATE TECTONICS
 Concept of Lithospheric Plate
A. The lithosphere consists of the crust and the uppermost mantle
 Average thickness of continental lithosphere: 150km
 Average thickness of old oceanic lithosphere: 100km
B. Composition of both continental and oceanic crusts affect their
respective densities.
C. The lithosphere floats on a soft, plastic layer called
asthenosphere.
D. Most plates contain both oceanic and continental crust; a few
contain only oceanic crust.
E. A plate is not the same as a continent.
Three Types of Plate Boundaries

1. Divergent

2. Convergent

3. Transform
 Divergent
 Plate Movement
 Plates moving away from each other
 Description
 (Oceanic-oceanic)Forms elevated ridge with rift valley at
the center; submarine volcanism and shallow earthquakes
 Example: Mid-Atlantic Ridge; East Pacific Rise
 (Continental-continental) Broad elevated region with
major rift valley; abundant volcanism and shallow
earthquakes
 Example: East African Rift Valley; Red Sea
 Convergent
 Plate Movement
 Plates moving towards each other
 Description
 (Oceanic-Continental) Dense oceanic plate slips beneath less dense
continental plate; trench forms on the subducting plate side and
extensive volcanism on the overriding continental plate; earthquake
foci becoming deeper in the direction of subduction
 Example: Western South America
 (Oceanic-oceanic) Older, cooler, denser plate slips beneath less dense
plate; trench forms on subducting plate side and island arc on
overriding plate; band of earthquakes becoming deeper in the direction
of subduction
 Example: Aleutians, Marianas
 Convergent
 Description
 (Continental-Continental) Neither mass is subducted;
plate edges are compressed, folded, and uplifted
resulting in the formation of major mountain range.
 Example: Himalayas, Alps
 Transform
 Plate Movement
 Plates sliding past each other
 Description
 Lithosphere is neither created nor destroyed; most
offset oceanic ridge systems while some cut through
continental crust, characterized by shallow
earthquakes
 Example: Mid-Ocean Ridges; San Andreas Fault