Magandang Buhay

SMILE
Plate Tectonics
 Exploratory
Question:
What would the
Earth be like without
plate tectonics?
The planet Earth might
appear to be solid,
steady and unchanging
sphere of rock.
 The truth is, it is
constantly changing,
and undergoing minor or
major changes both in its
external and internal
atttributes.
 Theories explaining the
changes in
the surface characteristics of
Earth, including the formation
of different landforms
 Contraction Theory
Proposed by James Dwight Dana in
the early years of the 20 century.
th

This theory suggests that the earth

cooled after its formation, its surface
contracted and wrinkled. The
wrinkles areMountain
now considered
Ranges as the
______________
 Theory of Continental
Drift
Proposed by Alfred Wegener
in 1912. It asserted that there
were once existed a very large
landmass, a supercontinent
Pangaea
called _____________.
 Theory of Continental
Drift
And later broke into
smaller supercontinents:
Gondwana and
__________
Laurasia
__________.
 These two
supercontinents further
split into the large
landmasses, which we
now know as our
_____________.
 Seafloor Spreading Theory
In the 1960’s, American
geologist Harry Hess proposed
this theory which says that the
seafloors or ocean floors, not
the continents, move and only
carry the latter.
 Seafloor Spreading Theory
In the 1960’s, American
geologist Harry Hess proposed
this theory which says that the
seafloors or ocean floors, not
the continents, move and only
carry the latter.
 Tectonic Plate Theory

Incorporates the
continental drift theory
and the seafloor spreading
theory.
 Tectonic Plate Theory
For plate tectonics, the
lithosphere is composed of
many independent massive
slabs of solid rocks called
plates
______.
Tectonic Plate Theory

Plates under landmasses

are called
______________.
Continental plates
Tectonic Plate Theory

Plates under the ocean

are called
____________.
oceanic plates
 Properties of Continental and
Oceanic Plates
Parameters Continental Plates Oceanic Plates

Composition Granitic rocks which Basaltic rocks which

are made up of consist of heavier
relatively lightweight minerals composed of
minerals such as quartz silicates and
and feldspar, both magnesium (“SiMa”)
composed of silicates
and aluminum (“SiAl”)
 Properties of Continental and
Oceanic Plates

Parameters Continental Plates Oceanic Plates

Density 2.7 g/cc 2.9 g/cc

Thickness 25 to 70 km 7 to 10 km

Coverage 71% of the 29 % of the

Earth’ Earth’s
Surface surface
 Properties of Continental and
Oceanic Plates

Parameters Continental Plates Oceanic Plates

Age Take a long time to Constantly

create but are renewed; oldest
rarely destroyed; are less than 200
3.8 billion to 4 million years old
billion years old
 Main Idea
The Earth has
undergone many
fundamental changes
since its formation.
 Seatwork
Answer the following:
1. What would the earth be without plate tectonic?
2. What are the highlights of the following theory:
a. Contraction c. Continental Drift
b. Seafloor Spreading d. Tectonic Plate
3.Compare the properties of Continental and Oceanic Plate in
terms of:
a. Composition d. Coverage
b. Density e. Age
c. Thickness
 Performance Task
Go to the library and research on all
volcanic eruptions that have taken
place in the past three years (20-21-
22). Plot those eruption locations on a
world map. Do you see any pattern?
Use long, white construction paper