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# Plate Tectonics This document describes the theory of plate tectonics, focusing on the movement of Earth's plates, their interactions, and the resulting phenomena. ## Energy Transfer Inside Earth * **Convection Currents:** Driven by heat from Earth's core. Hot material rises, cools, and sinks,...

# Plate Tectonics This document describes the theory of plate tectonics, focusing on the movement of Earth's plates, their interactions, and the resulting phenomena. ## Energy Transfer Inside Earth * **Convection Currents:** Driven by heat from Earth's core. Hot material rises, cools, and sinks, creating a cycle that drives plate motion. This is related to density differences caused by heating and cooling. * **Tonga Eruption Insights:** Demonstrates the massive energy release from Earth's interior. Material movement (e.g., rising magma) is driven by density differences (heating and cooling). ## Investigative Phenomena * **Seismic Activity:** Patterns reveal Earth's interior structures. Shadow zones indicate a liquid outer core. * **Tsunamis:** Energy transfer from tectonic movements to ocean water. * **Volcanic Eruptions:** Indicators of subsurface magma movement at plate boundaries. ## Plate Movements and Surface Features * **Divergent:** Plates move apart, creating new crust (e.g., Mid-Atlantic Ridge). * **Convergent:** Plates collide, leading to subduction, earthquakes, and volcanoes (e.g., Andes Mountains). * **Transform:** Plates slide past each other, causing earthquakes (e.g., San Andreas Fault). * **New crust** forms at mid-ocean ridges. * **Old crust** subducts at trenches. * **Volcanic islands** form at convergent boundaries. * **Mountain ranges** form when continental plates collide. ## Critical Thinking and Evidence * Use models to interpret seismic data and density experiments. * Develop arguments based on patterns observed in geological data. * Evaluate risks based on plate boundary locations and historical hazard data.