UNIT 1 - Theory of Plate Tectonics and the Formation of

Continents
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the theory of continental movement and plate
tectonics;
2. Describe how scientists use different kinds of evidence to
form theories about the formation of the continents.
3. Compile the different pieces of evidence of plate
movements;
4. Conform or contradict the different pieces of evidence of
plate movements.
TOPIC OUTLINE:

I. Amazing Earth

II. Plate Tectonics

III. Evidence of
Plate Movements

:
 Game:
We will be having a game called 4
pics 1 word. All you need to do is
guess what the image depicts.
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❖Based on what you know,

what causes earthquakes
and volcanoes?

❖Could the location of

continents be related to
these geological events?
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PLATE TECTONIC THEORY

Tectonic - the term is derived from the greek word “Tekton” which means
carpenter or builder.
Earth’s outermost layer according to tectonic plate theory slabs known as
lithospheric plates or tectonic plates.
The Earth's surface is broken into pieces: Think of it like a jigsaw puzzle, but the
pieces aren't stuck in place.
These pieces are always moving: They "float" on a much hotter, softer, semi-
liquid layer underneath, called the asthenosphere. This movement is
incredibly slow, only a few centimeters (about the speed your fingernails
grow!) each year.

Heat from inside the Earth drives the movement: Deep within the Earth, there's
a lot of heat. This heat creates slow, rolling currents (like water boiling in a pot)
in the asthenosphere. These currents drag the tectonic plates along.
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The earth’s outer most layer, according to the tectonic plate theory is divided into a
dozen or more small and large solid plates, these plates are continuously moving
relative to one another.

How was data collected to support this THEORY?

The plate tectonics theory was developed from earlier hypothesis and data
collected about rocks of the ocean floor.

So, in a nutshell, plate tectonics is the theory that explains how the Earth's outer
shell is divided into large, moving plates, and how their slow but continuous
movement causes many of the features we see on our planet, from mountains
and oceans to earthquakes and volcanoes.
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CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY

Continental drift is the hypothesis that Earth's continents have moved over geological time
relative to each other, thus appearing to have "drifted" across the ocean bed.

The theory, primarily proposed by Alfred Wegener in the early 20th century, suggests that this
supercontinent began to break apart around 200 million years ago, and the pieces (our current
continents) have been slowly "drifting" to their present locations ever since.

Main pieces of evidence:

Fit of the Continents:

Fossil Evidence: Similar fossils found on widely separated continents (e.g., Mesosaurus).

Rock Evidence: Similar rock types and mountain ranges across oceans (e.g., Appalachians
and Caledonian Mountains).

Paleoclimate Evidence: Evidence of ancient glaciers in tropical regions and coal deposits in
polar regions.
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❖ Rodinia is the first supercontinent before

Pangea.
❖ Laurasia and Gondwanaland are the two
smaller supercontinents formed when
Pangea split.
❖ Continental drifting continued throughout
resulting to the present continents we know
today.
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❖ Pangea meaning “all earth”
existed during the Permian ❖ Earth is composed of 58 crustal
period. plates.

➢ During the Pangea, the now ❖ Scientists identified 15 major

known North America collided tectonic plates, 7 of which are
with Northwestern Africa forming primary plates and the rest are
a massive mountain range. These smaller plates.
mountain ranges can still be
found on a belt that stretches - African Plates
from the southern United States to - Eurasian Plates
Northern Europe, including the - Indo-Australian Plates
Appalachians. - North American Plates
- Pacific Plate
- South American Plates
- Nazca Plate
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Types of Lithospheric Plates - is just another, more precise name for tectonic plates. They refer to the
Earth's rigid, outermost layer, called the lithosphere, which is broken into many large and small pieces.

These plates are essentially the Earth's "skin," but a very thick and solid one. They include both the Earth's
crust (the very top layer where we live) and the uppermost, rigid part of the mantle (the layer directly
beneath the crust).

Two Main Types:

1. Oceanic Lithospheric Plates:
Composition: Primarily basaltic rock (rich in iron and
magnesium).
Density: Denser (average density of about (average density of
about 2.7 g/cm3).
Thickness: Thinner (typically 5−10 km for crust, total
lithosphere up to 100 km).
Age: Geologically younger (constantly being created at
mid-ocean ridges and destroyed at subduction zones).
Location: Forms the ocean floor.
Visual: Show cross-section diagrams illustrating oceanic crust
and its relation to the mantle.
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2. Continental
Lithospheric Plates:
Composition: Primarily granitic rock
(rich in silica and aluminum).
Density: Less dense (average density
of about 2.7 g/cm3).
Thickness: Thicker (typically 30−70
km for crust, total lithosphere up to
200 km).
Age: Geologically older (not easily
subducted or recycled).
Location: Forms the continents and
their continental shelves.
Visual: Show cross-section diagrams
illustrating continental crust and its
relation to the mantle.
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The distinct nature of continental

and oceanic plates is the engine
that drives plate tectonics, shaping
our planet's surface, creating its
features, and influencing everything
from climate to the availability of
resources.

Added Info:

Typhoon – storms that originated in Western North

Pacific Ocean

Hurricane – storms that originated in North Atlantic

Ocean and Eastern North Pacific Ocean

Cyclones – storms that originated in Indian Ocean

and South Western Pacific Ocean.
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EVIDENCE OF PLATE MOVEMENTS

Paleontological Evidence:

1. Scientists have discovered identical or very similar fossils of ancient plants and animals on
continents that are now widely separated by oceans.

2. Many of the fossilized organisms, such as the freshwater reptile Mesosaurus (found only in
South America and Africa) or the land reptile Lystrosaurus (found in Africa, India, and
Antarctica), were not capable of swimming across oceans. Their presence on these widely
separated landmasses strongly suggests that these continents were once joined together,
allowing these creatures to roam freely across a single landmass.
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The presence of certain fossils in

regions with climates that are now
unsuitable for those organisms also
supports plate movement. For
instance, fossils of tropical plants
found in Antarctica indicate that
Antarctica must have been closer
to the equator in the distant past.
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Evidence from Glaciation

Glaciation or glacial period refers to the process by which land is covered by

glaciers or ice sheets. It's a period of extensive ice coverage on Earth, characterized
by much colder temperatures globally.

Glaciers leave behind unique rock deposits called tillites, which are characterized
by a jumbled mix of unsorted rocks and sediments. Scientists have found these
ancient tillites on continents that are now far from polar regions and have very warm
climates, such as parts of Africa, India, Australia, and South America.
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EVIDENCE FROM STRUCTURE AND ROCK TYPE - refers to the observation that geological
features (like mountain ranges or fault lines) and the kinds of rocks found in certain areas are not randomly
distributed, but instead show patterns that align perfectly with the idea of moving tectonic plates.

Matching Mountain Ranges: Imagine tearing a piece of paper in half. The torn edges, though
separated, would still perfectly match. Similarly, scientists have found that major mountain ranges
on different continents, like the Appalachian Mountains in eastern North America and the
Caledonian Mountains in Scotland and Scandinavia, share remarkable similarities in their rock
types, ages, and overall structural patterns. When you "fit" these continents back together, these
mountain belts form a continuous chain, suggesting they were once part of the same massive
mountain-building event before the continents drifted apart.
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The rift valleys of Africa are also good evidence for the breakup of Pangea. Looking at
the below figure several deep lakes are present in the rift valleys. Saudi Arabia, located
at the Arabian Plate has drifted from African Plate forming a valley that has been
flooded by the Red Sea.

In essence, the Earth's continents aren't just like puzzle pieces that fit visually; their
internal "skeleton" – the arrangement of their mountains, the types of rocks they contain,
and the order in which those rocks were formed – provides a powerful, tangible
testament to their past connection and subsequent movement.
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EVIDENCE FROM PALEOCLIMATES (Paleoclimatology)

refer to the climates of past geological ages, long before humans started taking direct
measurements with instruments like thermometers or rain gauges. Since we can't go back in time
to observe these climates directly, scientists who study them (paleoclimatologists) rely on
"proxies" – natural archives or imprints of past climate conditions preserved in various Earth
materials.

Climate-Sensitive Sediments and Rocks: Different types of rocks and sediments form under
specific climatic conditions. For example:

Coal deposits form in warm, humid, swampy environments with abundant vegetation (like
tropical rainforests).

Evaporites (like rock salt and gypsum) form in hot, arid regions where water bodies evaporate
quickly.

Glacial tillites (rock debris left by glaciers) and glacial striations (scratches on bedrock) indicate
cold, icy conditions.

Coral reef fossils indicate warm, clear, shallow marine environments typical of tropical seas.
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Paleomagnetism - is the study of the Earth's ancient magnetic field, as recorded in rocks,
sediments, and even archaeological materials. It's like a geological "tape recorder" that preserves
information about the planet's magnetic field at the time the material formed

It is using an instrument called Magnetometer. Many rocks contain tiny magnetic minerals (like
magnetite). When molten rock (magma or lava) cools and solidifies, or when sediment particles
settle, these magnetic minerals act like tiny compasses. They align themselves with the Earth's
magnetic field at that exact moment in time.

Once the rock solidifies or the sediment is compacted, this alignment becomes "frozen" in place,
preserving a record of the Earth's magnetic field's direction and intensity at that specific time and
location. This preserved magnetism is called remanent magnetization.

If you had a compass during a period of reversed polarity, its

"north-seeking" end would point towards the geographic
South Pole.
Geologists have found extensive evidence of reversed
magnetism in rocks. When they examine the magnetic
alignment of minerals in rocks of different ages, they discover
that sometimes the magnetic "signature" points to the
magnetic North Pole, and at other times it points to the
magnetic South Pole. These periods of opposite polarity are
preserved in the rock record.
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Junior High School

Thank you