Plate Tectonics PDF

Plate Tectonics How can changes in the Earth affect biomes and ecosystems? Earth and Biology Heated, moving particles make the Earth’s crust (that all living organisms live on) move too Plate Tectonics: the theory that fragments of the Earth’s solid crust are slowly and constantly Tec...

Plate Tectonics How can changes in the Earth affect biomes and ecosystems? Earth and Biology Heated, moving particles make the Earth’s crust (that all living organisms live on) move too Plate Tectonics: the theory that fragments of the Earth’s solid crust are slowly and constantly Tectonics from Greek “tektonikós”, moving over the top of the meaning 'pertaining to building', refers to the structure and properties of Earth’s liquid-like mantle Earth's crust and its change over time Earth’s Layers The Earth is composed of layers at different depths due to different densities. Which layer is the The deepest part of most the Earth is the dense? core, and it is made Which is the least? of very dense How do radioactive metal. you know? Heat and Density When a substance is heated it becomes less dense. WHY?! Answer: As energy is added, molecules move faster and farther, spread out, and make the area less dense (fewer molecules per unit of volume) Earth and Biology Some organisms have adapted to get their energy from the chemicals and heat reactions created by magma seeping up from the mantle Chemosynthesis Chemo- from chemicals -synthesis to make something Producer/Autotroph How Can This Happen? External - outside The Earth has TWO sources of energy! Internal - inside 1. External - the sun 2. Internal - radioactive decay in the core of the Earth …more on radioactive decay in chemistry next year, but these chemical reactions happening deep below the crust is why the center of the earth is HOT! Heat and Density How does heat affect density? What happens to particles when energy (heat) is added? As heat increases, density ________ How does a Lava Lamp work? Convection Currents Currents cause movement Convection Currents Interactions between the solid lithosphere and the liquid-like asthenosphere create the Earth’s geographical features! By the way… Lithosphere: lithos- “stone/rock” -sphere “ball/globe” Asthenosphere: asthenes- “weak” -sphere “ball/globe” Plate Tectonics The theory that fragments of the Earth’s solid crust are slowly and constantly moving over the top of the Earth’s liquid-like mantle. Plate Boundaries Geologically active locations where tectonic plates meet and interact Plate Boundaries Geologically active locations where tectonic plates meet and interact Three Types of Plate Boundaries Dis- “in two ways” Con- “together” Trans- “across” Vergere “to turn” Vergere “to turn” Forma “form”  dis- “in two ways” Divergent Plate Boundary vergere “to turn” Plates spread apart in two ways: Seafloor Spreading in the ocean Continental Rifts on the land East African Rift Valley Divergent Plate Boundary This is how the oceans formed: First: a rift forms …then it spreads apart …finally it fills with water  con- “together” Convergent Plate Boundary vergere “to turn” Three ways plate crusts can come together: 1. Oceanic-Continental 2. Oceanic-Oceanic 3. Continental-Continental Convergent Plate Boundary - Oceanic-Continental Denser crust “sinks” under less dense crust What will happen? Oceanic crust is mainly basalt, and has a density of 3.0 g/cm3 Continental crust is mainly granite and has a density of 2.7 g/cm3 Pressure, heat, and evaporation of water from the crust cause magma to rise and volcanoes to form Convergent Plate Boundary - Oceanic-Oceanic Denser crust “sinks” What will happen? under less dense crust Older Oceanic crust has had time to cool and is denser than newer Oceanic crust Ocean trenches and volcanic island arcs form at these plate boundaries Convergent Plate Boundary - Oceanic-Oceanic Ryukyu Island Arc - Japan Convergent Plate Boundary - Oceanic-Oceanic Pacific Ocean “Ring of Fire” Convergent Plate Boundary sub- “below” -duct “to draw or pull” Subducting (sinking) plate melts due to heat from the Earth’s interior - it is destroyed and recycled into new mantle material The friction/release where the plates get “stuck” causes major earthquakes! Convergent Plate Boundary - Continental-Continental The crust is equally dense What will happen? Continental pushes into other Continental crust and creates new (non-volcanic) mountains through “crustal uplift” Transform Plate Boundary Plates slide past each other What will happen? Lots of friction creates many and powerful earthquakes Three Types of Plate Boundaries Identify on the image two types of plate boundaries and geological features they create Three Types of Plate Boundaries Plate Tectonics Big Ideas The Earth is made of layers: inner core, outer core, mantle, asthenosphere (gooey mantle), lithosphere (stiff mantle & crust) On the surface of the Earth are tectonic plates (giant fragments of crust) that slowly move around the globe There are two types of plates: Oceanic: Newer, thinner, more dense Continental: Thicker, less dense There are three types of plate boundaries: Divergent, Convergent, & Transform Volcanoes and Earthquakes are connected to tectonic plates Ecology Connection How can the theory of plate tectonics relate to concepts we have talked about in class? Discuss one or more of the following question sets in your table group: 1. How does plate tectonics affect the biome identity of an area? The climate (temperature and rainfall) of an ecosystem? Is this a biotic or abiotic factor? 2. How can plate tectonics affect the population dynamics of an area? What might cause organisms to immigrate or emigrate? 3. How are plate tectonics related to the Rule of 10% in food webs and ecosystems? What about organism competition?