Changes in the Earths crust

Investigating Plate Tectonics

1. A theory is: An idea that is used to explain facts or observations. 2. Frank B. Taylor said: That the continents formed 2 large
continents. One located on each pole. These continents broke apart. 3. Alfred Wegners theory is called: The theory of the continental drift. 4. The continental drift theory states that: The continents were once joined, the land mass broke apart and that the continents drifted, much like icebergs. That the continents are still drifting today. 5. Two pieces of evidence to support this theory are: Is the way South America fits with Africa. More evidence was that the same kinds of fossils were found in both places. 6. In the 1960s scientists found: That hot molten rock was flowing up through cracks in the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. And they formed a high ridge of mountains. 7. Sea floor spreading is: When molten rock flows up from a crack cools and hardens pushing the older ocean floor apart. 8. The plate tectonic theory suggests: That the crust of the earth is made of a number of large rigid plates and a number of smaller ones. 9. The eight major plates are: Eurasian plate, Indian plate, Pacific plate, North Americas plate, Cocos plate, African plate, South American plate, And Nazca plate. 10. Plate with continents move about 2cm a year. 11. Plates without continents move about 12cm a year. 12. The mantle is: Somewhat like melted plastic. 13. The mantle is: The layer of the earth under the crust. 14. Pangaea is: A land mass that had once joined together. 15. Scientists believe Pangaea broke up about 150 million

years ago.

Continental Drift
In 1912, Alfred Wegener proposed that all the continents were once part of one large landmass. The landmass broke apart forming several smaller continents. In addition, certain land areas showed evidence of having been covered by ice. These areas are now far from the poles so they must have been closer to one of the poles at some time in the past. Wegeners theory was supported by the finding of similar rocks and fossils in South America and Africa. Wegener proposed that the continents are still moving apart.

Pangaea

Plate Tectonics
The crust of the earth is made up of about twenty sections called plates, each about 100km thick. The plates seem to be floating on the upper mantle, the layer beneath the earths crust. Movements of the mantle may cause the plates to move. Some of the plates carry the contents; others carry the oceans. When the plates move, the oceans or continents above the plates move also.

Earthquakes
1. Earthquakes are closely related to: The movement of the
earths plates.

2. As the earths plates move: 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

They press against each other and the pressure builds until one plate slips apart. An earthquake is: A sudden movement of the earths crust. Faults are: movements in the earths crust. Faults are caused by: the movement of the plates. An example of a fault is: The Sand Andreas fault in California, U.S.A. is one example. Earthquakes relive: pressure in the earths crust. The focus of the earthquake is: the point where the pressure is relived. Vibrations or shock waves are sent out in all directions

from the focus. 10. Aftershocks are: often sent out after the earthquake. 11. Seismograph: Scientists can locate the focus of an earthquake
from such a recording.

12. The Richter Scale: Is a scale for measuring the strength of

earthquakes.