...Evolution and Theory of Plate Tectonics The most important and vital development of plate tectonic theory and evolution appeared to be among the most crucial scientific achievements in the 20th century. The theory concept offers a relevant structure towards the knowledge of all natural Earth attributes. It additionally provides one particular framework with regard to the knowledge of both planet's origin and outlook. Notably, the evolution of life on the planet remains significantly impacted by plate tectonic processes. This may involve the historic, societal, and cultural advancement of humanity. In other words, plate tectonic theory is an encompassing conjecture regarding different scientific theories that demonstrate the naturally occurring Earth characteristics have actually formed the historical past from the solid Earth, the oceans, the atmosphere, and all life organisms. Many scientific theories are so well established that no new evidence is likely to alter them substantially. For example, no new evidence will demonstrate that the Earth does not orbit around the sun (heliocentric theory), or that living things are not made of cells (cell theory), that matter is not composed of atoms, or that the surface of the Earth is not divided into solid plates that have moved over geological timescales (the theory of plate tectonics). Like these other foundational scientific theories, the theory of evolution is supported by so many observations and confirming experiments...
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...Sea-Floor Spreading, plate tectonics,and continental drift. Are all parts of the earth,that make the Earth still survive today.Seafloor Spreading is a geological process in which tectonic plates, large slabs of Earth’s lithosphere split apart from each other. Seafloor spreading helps us in many ways. One way is that, it makes up the the oceanic crust. Another way is that it makes large mountain ranges, that rise from the ocean floor.Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth’s outer shell is divided into several plates that glide over the mantle, the rocky inner layer above the core. These plates make up Earth’s outer shell, called the lithosphere. (This includes the crust and uppermost part of the mantle).There are 3 plate boundaries, Transform, Divergent, and Convergent....
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...The History of Plate Tectonics The Theory of Plate Tectonics is the theory accepted today for how the Earth was shaped. It is fairly new compared to other theories explaining the features of the earth like Catastrophism, Uniformitarianism, the Contracting Earth Theory, the Land Bridges Theory, and the theory that Plate Tectonics Theory stemmed from, the Continental Drift Theory. In this essay, I will explain why Plate Tectonics was not widely accepted until 1968 and how the formation of the earth was explained before it. In the late 1700s, Georges Cuvier proposed a theory called Catastrophism which explains Earth’s features like mountains and volcanoes by summing it up to a series of catastrophes. The evidence for Catastrophism was legends...
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...November 3, 2014 The Continental Drift was a theory in the early 20th century of Alfred Wegener, a German scientist. Wegener believed that the continental landmasses were drifting across the earth. Wegener noticed the coasts of South America and western Africa looked like a jigsaw puzzle with interlocking pieces. Both continents had some of the same biological and geological similarities. The fossil of the ancient reptile mesosaurus was only found in South America and southern Africa. The mesosaurus is a freshwater reptile roughly one meter long and couldn’t have swum in the ocean due to it being a freshwater reptile. Wegener also believed that all the continents were once joined in a super continent also known as Pangaea meaning all lands in Greek. Many scientists didn’t believe Wegener’s theory of the continental drift back then. Today’s scientists know now that continents sit on massive slabs called tectonic plates. Tectonic plates are constantly interacting and moving called plate tectonics. After a period of time the tectonic activity changes the surface of the earth and reshapes and rearranging the landmasses. The scientific method attempts to explain the phenomena of the universe using a consistent, logical, systematic method of investigation, using data collection, hypothesis, experiment, and a theory. Establishing a new theory must be introduced to the scientific community, be well written, documented and submitted to a scientific journal for publication. Qualative science...
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... Effects of the Motions of Tectonic Plates Worksheet From Visualizing Earth Science, by Merali, Z., and Skinner, B. J, 2009, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Copyright 2009 by Wiley. Adapted with permission. Part 1 This diagram was similar to one Alfred Wegener drew to show the distribution of continents 300 million years ago. His theory of continental drift was met with skepticism in the scientific community. 1. Describe three forms of evidence Wegener used to support his ideas of continental drift. 2. • Continental Margins (Visually land masses fit together like a puzzle) 3. • Rock layers (similarity on the coast lines as well in a different continent 4. • Fossil evidence (How some animals were identical on the other side of the world, and how tropical plants were found in Arctic regions. 5. Years later, the continental drift theory reemerged as plate tectonic theory, with two additional pieces of evidence. Refer to the images above. Discuss in detail the two pieces of additional evidence that supported Wegener’s theory, now known as the theory of plate tectonics. Part 2 Write paragraph answers to the following questions using what you have learned from Visualizing Earth Science and the assigned WileyPlus® GeoDiscoveries®. 1. How does the motion of the tectonic plates affect the climate? 2. How does the motion of the tectonic plates affect the geography? 3. How does the motion of the tectonic plates affect the distribution of organisms...
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...floor or the creation process of it. Sea floor spreading and plate boundaries are not a common subject to anyone outside of a scientific or marine biology lab. The purpose of this paper is to identify plate boundaries. Compare and contrast ideas behind plate tectonics and the theory of the continental drift. There are many types of plate boundaries. Each one is unique in its own way. Below three of the primary types are described in detail. There are several natural events that occur as a direct result of plate boundary interaction. To properly understand the what and how of plate boundaries one must first know what they are. According to Annenberg Foundation (2014), “The border between two tectonic plates is called a boundary. All the tectonic plates are constantly moving — very slowly — around the planet, but in many different directions. Some are moving toward each other, some are moving apart, and some are sliding past each other” (para. 3). Divergent, convergent, and transform are the three primary types of plates. According to "Plate Tectonics" (2010) “A divergent boundary occurs when two tectonic plates move away from each other. Along these boundaries, lava spews from long fissures and geysers spurt superheated water. Frequent earthquakes strike along the rift. Beneath the rift, magma—molten rock—rises from the mantle” (divergent boundary). According to "Plate Tectonics" (2010), “When two plates come together, it is known as a convergent boundary. The impact...
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...and mineralogy is a crust. ------------------------------------------------- Earth's lithosphere[edit source | editbeta] In the Earth, the lithosphere includes the crust and the uppermost mantle, which constitute the hard and rigid outer layer of the Earth. The lithosphere is underlain by the asthenosphere, the weaker, hotter, and deeper part of the upper mantle. The boundary between the lithosphere and the underlying asthenosphere is defined by a difference in response to stress: the lithosphere remains rigid for very long periods of geologic time in which it deforms elastically and through brittle failure, while the asthenosphere deforms viscously and accommodates strain through plastic deformation. The lithosphere is broken into tectonic plates. The uppermost part of the lithosphere that chemically reacts to the atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere through the soil forming processis called the pedosphere. The concept of the lithosphere as Earth’s strong outer layer was developed by Joseph Barrell, who wrote a series of papers introducing the concept.[2][3][4][5] The concept was based on the presence of significant gravity anomalies over continental crust, from which he inferred that there must exist a strong upper layer (which he called the lithosphere) above a weaker layer which could flow (which he called the asthenosphere). These ideas were expanded by Harvard geologist Reginald Aldworth Daly in 1940 with his seminal work "Strength and Structure of the...
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...Effects of the Motions of Tectonic Plates Worksheet From Visualizing Earth Science, by Merali, Z., and Skinner, B. J, 2009, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Copyright 2009 by Wiley. Adapted with permission. Part 1 This diagram was similar to one Alfred Wegener drew to show the distribution of continents 300 million years ago. His theory of continental drift was met with skepticism in the scientific community. [pic] 1. Describe three forms of evidence Wegener used to support his ideas of continental drift. Wegener used landorms, climate, and fossils to support his theory of continental drift. He said that when it came to landforms all the continents seemed to fit like a “jigsaw puzzle”. Even went as as far to say the mountain ranges seemed to line up as well. Wegener said that the same fossils and rock from one continent would end up on a different continent. For instance a fossil found in Africa would also be found in South America. When it came to climate, Wegener said that some fossils did not match the climate. For instance, there a glacier scratches in South Africa. 2. Years later, the continental drift theory reemerged as plate tectonic theory, with two additional pieces of evidence. [pic] [pic] Refer to the images above. Discuss in detail the two pieces of additional evidence that supported Wegener’s theory, now known as the theory of plate tectonics. The first image shows the...
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...Plate Tectonics Theory Gaining Credence The theory of Plate Tectonics is a surprisingly recent discovery. The first driving force was in 1915 when Alfred Wegener published his book The Origin of Continents and Oceans. Wegener proposed the idea that the earth’s continent had once been a single super-continent, which he named Pangaea. Wegener explained how many things on earth were interconnected and Pangaea could be the solution for many scientific queries at the time. Many colleagues in the geologic field were skeptical of Wegener’s proposal because he couldn’t explain why the plates moved. It wasn’t until the 1960’s when enough data was collected on projects such as Bathymetry and the Phenomenon of Polar Wander, that a majority of scientists accepted Plate Tectonics. The theory of Plate Tectonics is best described in layers. On top we have the least dense particles such as nitrogen and oxygen gas that make up our atmosphere. As we look deeper into the earth, data shows that denser elements and molecules are pulled into the center and less dense objects ejected due to mass. The core of our earth is made mostly of nickel and iron. The plates that move on the earth’s surface are dominantly solid objects that consist of our earth’s crust and the upper mantle. This is called the lithosphere. The upper part of the lithosphere, the crust, can be separated into two types, continental and oceanic. Continental crust is much thicker than the oceanic crust. This means the lithosphere...
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...University of Phoenix Material Effects of the Motions of Tectonic Plates Worksheet From Visualizing Earth Science, by Merali, Z., and Skinner, B. J, 2009, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Copyright 2009 by Wiley. Adapted with permission. Part 1 This diagram was similar to one Alfred Wegener drew to show the distribution of continents 300 million years ago. His theory of continental drift was met with skepticism in the scientific community. [pic] 1. Describe three forms of evidence Wegener used to support his ideas of continental drift. Wegner suggested that the continental shelves of the continents seemed to fit together similar to a puzzle. According Bugielski (1999), "continents in the southern hemisphere exhibit an identical pattern of rock and fossils known as the Gondwana sequence. The most logical explanation was that the continents themselves were once parts of a much larger super-continent (Early development of plate tectonics). Another point that Wegener used as evidence was by looking at the glacial till deposits. When the contintents were together, the glacial movement was, "more streamlined motion of the glacier from southern Africa and Northern Australia outward" (Bugielski, 1999). The last important piece of evidence that was used was by examinung sedimentary rock that was able to show a change in climates proving the theory of the continental drift or that the poles had moved. (Bugielski, 1999). Bugielski, M. (1999). The Richard Stockton...
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...University of Phoenix Material Effects of the Motions of Tectonic Plates Worksheet From Visualizing Earth Science, by Merali, Z., and Skinner, B. J, 2009, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Copyright 2009 by Wiley. Adapted with permission. Part 1 This diagram was similar to one Alfred Wegener drew to show the distribution of continents 300 million years ago. His theory of continental drift was met with skepticism in the scientific community. 1. Describe three forms of evidence Wegener used to support his ideas of continental drift. • Continental Margins (Visually land masses fit together like a puzzle) • Rock layers (similarity on the coast lines as well in a different continent • Fossil evidence (How some animals were identical on the other side of the world, and how tropical plants were found in Arctic regions. 2. Years later, the continental drift theory reemerged as plate tectonic theory, with two additional pieces of evidence. Refer to the images above. Discuss in detail the two pieces of additional evidence that supported Wegener’s theory, now known as the theory of plate tectonics. • One additional piece of evidence was the mapping of the ocean sea floor. When all these investigations about the ocean sea floor were given to scientist, a new light in the composition of the rocks and their distribution was discovered. Wegener's ideas started now to make sense for most geologists, the saddest part is that at this time Wegener was already dead so he could...
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...on the theory of continental drift and explain the various ideologies that attempt to explain these theories. The first term that must be understood in order to grasp the theory of continental drift is plate tectonics. The idea of plate tectonics dates back to the 1600’s, but was not given much credibility until 1915. It was at this time that meteorologist Alfred Wegner released a book based on his study of the continents. He proposed that the continents of the earth were once connected. This idea was based not only on the fact that the continents fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, but also the fact that there are similar fossils of both plants and animals found in the areas which would be connected if the continents were put back together. Wegener called this one continent world Pangaea.. Although Wegener offered the most credible evidence of continental drift to date, only a few others were confident in his theory. Most geologists ridiculed him for his ideas. The major flaw with Wegener’s theory was that he could not explain how the continents moved. His idea was that the continents simply drifted, forcing their way through the ocean floor. This simply was not enough to convince skeptics. It wasn’t until 1928 that a more credible explanation of how continents could be moved was introduced. Arthur Holmes presented a theory that proposed that not only were the continents moving, but that they were moving because the ocean floor itself was moving. His theory was that...
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...Option 1 – Tectonic Activity and Hazards What are tectonic hazards and what causes them? 1. Introduction Tectonic hazards have to be distinguished from tectonic events. Hazards tend to refer to those events or items that pose a threat to humans and their lifestyle. Therefore, a tectonic hazard is one which involves tectonic processes being hazardous to humans. In the first part of my essay I will be explaining exactly what is meant by tectonic processes and will be referring to the relatively new concept of Plate Tectonics which, although being presented as a theory in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, was not actually taken as the standard model until the late 1960’s and even then was being criticized by many learned scholars into the 1980’s. I will then explain what the main types of hazards are in tectonics, namely volcanoes (openings in the earth crust from which material from below the earth’s surface can be ejected) and earthquakes (movement in the earth’s crust that causes shaking of the ground above). However, there are many more hazards that can be associated with these two, namely tsunamis and from volcanoes, pyroclastic flows, lahars and volcanic gases. What causes these hazards should be explained in my explanation of plate tectonics. Throughout my assignment, I will be using many examples of tectonic hazards from around the globe, but will be focusing on certain case studies to try and explain exactly what causes tectonic hazards. I will be using the San Andreas Fault...
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...Plate Tectonics & the Pacific Northwest April Pilcher 7/18/16 GLG/150 Anna Foutz Plate Tectonics & the Pacific Northwest Plate tectonics is a scientific theory that tries to explain the movements of the Earth’s lithosphere that formed all of the landscape features we see today. The theory of plate tectonics says that the Earth’s lithosphere is made up of individual plates that are broken down into over a dozen different sized pieces of solid rock. The theory of plate tectonics was first discovered by Alfred Wegener in the 20th century. Wegener figured out that all of the continents seemed to have similar edges leading him to believe that the continents were once all connected. He called this a supercontinent and named it Pangaea. He believed that the continents of Pangaea started drifting apart about 300 million years ago and was later known as Continental Drift. ("Geography.about.com", 2016). The Pacific Northwest has a lot of tectonic activity causing many earthquakes. The three tectonic plates that influence these earthquakes are The North America, Juan De Fuca, and the Pacific plate. These three plates make up what is called the Cascadia Strain. The most common damaging earthquakes in Washington and Oregon are deep earthquakes from Juan De Fuca. These earthquakes occur when Juan De Fuca starts to bend and plunge underneath North America. Stresses cause faults in the down going crustal part of the plate causing it to rupture. The Cascadia Subduction Zone...
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...floor of the ocean that appeared to be mountains with the tops flattened. Harry Hess used sounding equipment. The sounding equipment takes measurements of the sea floor. Harry Hess is a geologist who studies plate tectonics theory. The theory of plate tectonics explains the features and movement of Earth’s surface in the present and the past. Harry Hess received a Bachelor of Science degree from Yale in 1931 and a Ph.D. from Princeton in 1932. In 1934, He became a professor at Princeton University, where he became the head of the Geology department. He became the head of the geology department in 1950. Also in 1964 the sixth Blair Professor of Geology. Harry Hess died of a heart attack on August 26, 1969 in Massachusetts. Dr. Hess’ most significant contribution to plate tectonic theory began in 1945 when he was the commander of the U.S.S. Cape Johnson. While traveling from one place to another, Hess left the sounding equipment on that takes measurements of the sea floor. It was at the time the time that Dr. Hess discovered features on the floor of the ocean that seemed to be mountains with flattened tops. He called these features on the floor of...
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