Plate Tectonics

By: Immad Alam

Plate Tectonics
• The science of lithospheric plate movement is called plate
tectonics
• It is a theory about ocean-spreading, volcanic activity, seismic
activity etc
• Alfred Wegener suggested in 1915 suggested that all
landmasses were once united in a large supercontinent called
Pangaea
Pangaea
What are tectonic plates
• Lithosphere = Solid part of upper mantle+Crust
• Lithosphere is not continous but is split into fragments called
tectonic plates
Types of Lithospheric plates
• Oceanic Plates: Thinner, denser, depth is about 50km

• Continental Plates: Thicker, lighter, depth is about 150km

Plate Movement
• Suggested by Arthur Holmes in 1939
• Presence of Convection Cells
Distribution of Tectonic Plates
• 8 largest plates
Plate Movement
• Divergence
• Convergence
• Transform movement
Plate Divergence
• At divergent boundaries, two plates move apart from each
other and the space that this creates is filled with new crustal
material.
• Results in Sea-Floor spreading

• Forms Mid-Oceanic Ridges and Rift Valleys

• e.g Red Sea
Plate Divergence
• Mid Oceanic Ridges-Sea and Floor Spreading
Plate Divergence
• Rift Valleys
Plate Divergence
Plate Convergence
• There are 3 types of convergent boundaries:
• Oceanic-Continental Convergence;
• Oceanic-Oceanic Convergence;
• Continental-Continental Convergence.
Oceanic-Continental
Convergence
• When an oceanic plate (denser) pushes into and subducts
under a continental plate, the overriding continental plate is
lifted up and volcanic activity occurs
Oceanic-Oceanic Convergence
• When two oceanic plates converge one is usually subducted
under the other and in the process a deep oceanic trench
(huge depression) is formed
• Island Arcs also formed
Continental-Continental
Convergence
• When two continents meet head-on, neither is subducted
• Results in formation of Fold mountains e.g Himalayas
Transform movement
• Transform-Fault Boundaries are where two plates are
sliding horizontally past one another. These are also
known as transform boundaries or more commonly as
fault
• e.g San Andreas fault zone
Transform Fault
Transform movement