Volcanic and Seismic events are major pieces of evidence towards proving that plate tectonics theory is valid.
A seismic event is the transient motion and release of kinetic energy caused by sudden failure of the earth's crust, usually felt as shaking or tremors in the rock mass. Seismic events range in size from barely perceptible tremors to major earthquakes. Volcanic events occur when there is a release of magma, gas and ash from the Earth’s crust.
The entire outer surface of the planet is divided into these plate formations with approximately 30 in total. These different plates vary in size from over 100,000,000 square miles, for example The Pacific Plate, to the Galapagos micro plate at 12,000 square miles. Fault lines separate each
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New Basaltic magma rises to the surface, cools and pushes the plates apart. The convection currents also help drag the plates apart and then pull them down at convergent boundaries. This can be seen at the mid-ocean ridges. Eruptions are non-violent with the exceptions of the East African Rift Valley where the recent eruption in 2002 in the Republic of Congo had a devastating effect on the local population, and where the ocean ridges rise up out of the sea such as in Iceland.
The theory of plate tectonics also explains the formation of destructive plate boundaries which account for creating 80% of the world’s active volcanoes. The melting crust at Subduction Zones (oceanic-oceanic or continental-oceanic) are due to differences in density between oceanic and continental lithospheres, where the less dense plate is pushed beneath the more dense plate, and becomes part of the asthenosphere forming magma that is andesitic in its nature. This creates the most violent volcanic activity. Island Arc volcanoes such as Pinatubo and Fold Mountain Volcanoes such as Nevado Del Ruiz (Andes) are very destructive.
The evidence for deep, hot, convective currents combined with plate movement (and concurrent continental drift) also explained the mid-plate "hot spot" formation of volcanic island chains for example the Hawaiian Islands and the formation of rift valleys such as The Rift Valley of Africa. Mid-plate earthquakes, such as the powerful New Madrid
Overall the plate tectonics theory does seem valid as there is lots of evidence to prove it right. For example fossils on either side of the ocean, climates being the same in different continents and hot spots. But there are some stronger pieces of evidence like the ring of
A volcano is an earth hazard that occurs on faults between tectonic plates on a destructive boundary and an eruption is a natural disaster. A primary impact happens immediately after the disaster and before any response like death or collapsing or destruction of buildings. A secondary impact occurs later after the disaster, such less farm produce or a reduction in tourism. The severity of these impacts will differ considerably in a MEDC and LEDC where volcanic eruptions have taken place. These may be seen in the Mount St. Helen volcano eruption as well as in the Iceland volcanic eruption. They may also
But in fact these also proved plate tectonic theory because they showed temporal change ie they were once at plate boundaries but have moved away because of plate movement. All the evidence, sea floor spreading, hot spots and subduction proved the plates moved this knowledge then developed into the understanding that something must be providing energy or a current so that the plates could move; This theory then came about as ‘convection currents’. Convection currents is a liquid in the mantle that moves and the currents come from the subduction zones.
Volcanoes can be found throughout the entire world and are formed when there is a rupture in the mantle of the Earth's crust. This effect allows the output of volcanic lava, ash, and various types of gases. These tectonic plate breaks are normal, the planet Earth is divided into 17 tectonic plates and consistently move against each other forming shifts from low to high intensity. It can cause displacement of earth or water.
Plate Tectonics is a scientific theory which study how the Earth’s plates are driven and shaped by geological forces to keep them in constant movement. The theory explains the present-day tectonic behavior of the Earth, particularly the global distribution of mountain building, earthquake activity, and volcanism in a series of linear belt. (Pitman, W.C., 2007)
The theory of plate tectonics states that Earth’s outer shell is divided into plates. The crust and upper mantle is broken into plates that move around on the mantle, changing in size throughout time. The lithosphere makes up the crust and upper mantle and the asthenosphere a plastic like layer beneath the lithosphere. There are three types of plate boundaries. Divergent boundaries where two plates move away from each other. The ocean widens and new crust forms at the mid-oceanic ridge. Convergent boundaries has three types of converging, moving two plates towards each other. First we have an ocean floor plate that collides with a less dense continental plate. Next an ocean floor plate collides with another ocean floor plate. Finally a continental plate collides with another continental plate. Transform boundaries were two plates slide past one another. The resulting effects of plate tectonics is landforms such as rift valleys,
The Earth’s outer crust is made up many tectonic plates that move over the surface of the planet. When the plates come collide, volcanoes will form sometime (National Ocean Service). Volcanoes can also form in the middle of a plate, where magma rises upward until it erupts on the sea floor, at what is called a “hot spot” (National Ocean Service). A hot spot is a plume of magma or molten rock that rises from within the Earth then reaches the surface forming underwater volcanoes which may grow tall enough to
The earth’s crust is made out of plate tectonics. Each plate has a defined boundary and direction it moves. The plates in Earth’s crust perform two actions; they submerge under each other or they spread out. The Pacific Plate is the largest plate and it borders around many plates. The Pacific Plate moves northwest. New crust is formed from magma outpours, which are a result of the zones spreading. The tectonic plates created the islands. When the tectonic plates move, it creates the change in geography. Active volcanoes together shape the way islands are build. The magma from the volcano and the deposits from the plate are needed to create
The Earth is always changing because of plate tectonics. Plate tectonics describes the behavior of earth's out shell, with pieces bumping and grinding each other about. Most of the world's active volcanoes are located along or near the boundaries between shifting plates and are called plate-boundary volcanoes. The Hawaiian Islands are one of the best examples of an intra-plate volcanic chain. They are developed by the northwest-moving Pacific Plate passing over an inferred hot spot that inmates the magma generating and volcano-formation process. The Ring of Fire in parts of the Pacific Ocean contain many active volcanoes which Mt. St. Helens is a part of. The zone along plate boundaries are the most geologically active regions on Earth.
The theory of plate tectonics states that earth’s crust is broken up into plates. Geologists speculate that a hot spot in the upper mantle of the earth's crust is responsible for the heat that derives the Yellowstone thermal and volcanic activity; the result of three gigantic volcanic eruptions that caused by the underlying hot spot. The volcanic eruptions started with the collapse of the mouth of its volcano and formed large volcanic craters called calderas. Yellowstone’s volcanic past has the first and the largest caldera that blew up about over two million years ago, and it was
First there are tectonic plates that collide together that will cause an earthquake which can make the volcano erupt.
The positioning of these volcanoes coincide with major plate boundaries. E.g. the volcanoes along the West coast of North America are the result of the Juan de Fuca
A piece of evidence we have for plate tectonics is when the continents separated from one another. We have evidence this happened because there have been fossils found in two different areas of the world and we know that they couldn't have physically gotten there endless at one time the continents were together. Another piece of evidence is mountain ranges because in order for a mountain range to exist there has to be two plates colliding causing the ground push up to form the mountains.
The large rift is a result of an immense geological event that produced large earthquakes and volcanic activity nearly 1 billion years ago. The event is a prime example of plate tectonic theory. Large plates along the mountains continually would shift allowing stratovolcano activity to persist.
As the overlying plate lifts up, it also forms mountain ranges. In addition, the diving plate melts and is often spewed out in volcanic eruptions such as those that formed some of the mountains in the Andes of South America.