SCIENCE 10 WEEK 7
DRIVING FORCES OF PLATE MOTION
There are 3 forces that interact to create plate motion:
1. Convection Current
2. Slab Pull Theory
3. Ridge Push
Lesson 1: Convection Current
Conveyor Belt - a device used to transfer heavy objects from one point to another.
Conveyor Belt works the same way as Convection Current Forces
What is Convection Current?
-The continuous loop of sinking hot, soft rocks caused by energy transfer in the Asthenosphere (Earth’s mantle)
-Convection creates loops of sinking cold and rising of warm materials in the mantle.
This circular pattern is called Convection Cell
Convection Cell- this carries heat to the surface of the mantle much faster than hitting by conduction.
A convecting mantle is essential feature of plate tectonic.
Convection in the mantle behaves the same way convection happens in a pot soap in a hot stove.
Hot water rises
Cooler water sink
These convection circling within the mantle push the magma up forming new crusts and exerting a lateral force on
plate, pushing it apart to create sea-floor spreading
-When colder magma sinks during convection, it pulls the surface together making the denser crust to subduct.
-Convection Currentin the Asthenosphere drive plate motion.
This Theory of mantle convection was proposed by Arthur Holmes.
Arthur Holmes used Wegener’s observation suggesting that as the mantle became heated, its density decreases and
eventually risen up. When the material cooled it would sink exhibiting a circling behavior that look like a conveyor belt.
The pressure heated magma broke the continents apart, forcing the pieces to drift in opposite directions. He also
speculated that when the materials sink, continents will be brought back together again.
Lesson 2: Slab Pull Theory
Slab Pull Theory - states that Gravity and the plates themselves are the ones responsible for the plate tectonics through
subduction process.
-As the slab is pulled down into mantle, it drags the rest of the plate along with it causing TECTONIC PLATE
MOVEMENT.
-A very dense slab will sink faster that a less dense slab because of the Gravitatonal Pull and it will exert greater force
on the plate attached to it.
SLAB PULL THEORY believes that mantle convection is not the cause of plate tectonics but rather, it is a product of
subduction.
Lesson 3: Ridge Push
Ridge Push- known as sliding plate force is a proposed driving
force for plate motion in plate tectonics.
This occurs at mid-ocean ridges as the result of the rigid
lithospheric sliding down the hot, raised asthenosphere below
mid-ocean ridges.
-This gravity-driven mechanism results from the
elevated position of the oceanic- ridge, which causes slabs
of lithosphere to ‘slide’ down the flanks of the ridge.
The “gravity sliding” ridge push model was proposed by BOTT (1991) a geologist which states that the
“pushing” on the plates is actually due to difference in gravitational potential energy between a plate at its
spreading center and subduction zone.
-The Asthenosphere is a zone of soft plastic material which is less dense than the riding plate above it.
-Acts as a massive shear zone for the over riding plate.
-The plate will effectively slide down the slope of the asthenosphere due to the weight difference between
the plate and its spreading center and the subduction zone; Since the plate gets thicker and denser, the
farther away from the spreading center the ridge push force will increase towards the subduction zone.
SCIENCE 10 WEEK 8
PLATE TECTONICS CONTINENTAL DRIFT THEORY
This theory was proposed by Alfred Wegener.
He laid out his case in his book the origin of continents and oceans.
He proposed a theory that about 200 million years ago the continents were once one large landmass.
However he couldn’t explain what force was driving the motion of the continents.
His theory was not accepted by the scientific community until 1965 when the theory of plate tectonics was
published.
According to Wegener:
All continents formed a single continental. This supercontinent was called Pangaea or Pangea “All Earth”
This was surrounded by a mega ocean called Pantalasa “All Water”
Wegener’s Argument 200millions years ago:
The Pangea breaks into 2 smaller super continents.
Laurasia in the NORTH ; Gondwanaland in the SOUTH during the Jurassic perod.
Evidences of Continental Drift Theory
1. CONTINENTAL JIGSAW PUZZLE – The most visible and fascinating evidence that these continents were
once one in their shape.
Ex. South America and Africa connected to each other
2. Evidence from Fossils – It is preserved remains or traces of organisms (plants and animals) from the remote
past.
Example: Glossopteris, Cynognathus, Mesosaurus, Lystrosaurus
3. Evidence from Rocks – Rock formation in Africa line up with that in south America as if it was long
mountain range.
- The folded cape mountain of South America and Africa line up perfectly as if they were once a long
mountain range.
4. Glacial Striations – Glaciers can only be found in cold places of the Earth like the North and South Pole of
the Earth.
- They move and when they move over the rock beneath, they leave evidence in a form of scratch called
Glacial Striations.
Example: Cold places
5. Coal Deposits – Coal Beds were formed from the compaction of swamp plants that lived million years ago.
- These were discovered in SA, AFRICA, INDIAN SUBCONTINENT, SOUTHEASTASIA.
SCIENCE 10 WEEK 8
SEAFLOOR SPREADING & MAGNETIC REVERSAL
During the 1950’s and 1960’s, new techniques and modern gadgets enabled scientist to make better
observations and gather new information about the ocean floor. They discovered underwater features deep
within the ocean.
Ridges found by scientist:
Mid-ocean Ridges: mid- atlantic ridge and undersea mountain chain in the Atlantic Ocean.
Scientist who proposed Seafloor Spreading: Robert Dietz and Harry Hess
SEAFLOOR SPREADING THEORY
-According to this theory, hot, less dense material from below the earth’s crust rises towards the surface at
the mid-ocean ridge.
The process of seafloor spreading allow the creation of new bodies of water.
For example: Sea was created as the African plate and the Arabian plate moved away from each other.
The rate of the old seafloor is not always as fast as the destruction of the old seafloor at the subduction zone.
This explains why the pacific ocean is getting smaller and why the Atlantic Ocean is getting wider.
- If the subduction is faster that the seafloor spreading, the ocean shrinks. When the seafloor is
greater than the subduction, then the ocean gets wider.
- FINDINGS THAT SUPPORT SEAFLOOR SPREADING THEORY:
1. Rocks are younger at the mid-ocean ridge.
2. Rocks far from the mid-ocean ridge are older
3. Sediments are thinner at the ridge.
4. Rocks at the ocean floor are younger than those at the continents.
This theory was strengthen by the magnetic reversal patters in rocks
Magnetic Reversal
-A magnetic compass tells us the direction on Earth. It also proves that the Earth has magnetic field.
-The needle of the magnetic compass usually points to the North Pole of the Earth which is actually the South
Magnetic Pole at present.
WHAT IS MAGNETIC REVERSAL? How does this happened?
- The Earth’s magnetic field is generated in the very hot molten outer core and has already existed since the
birth of our planet.
- Magnetic Reversal is also called magnetic “flip” of the Earth. It happens when the North Pole is transformed
into South Pole and the South Pole becomes the North Pole.This is due to the change in the direction of flow in
the outer core.
- The occurrence of magnetic reversals can be explained through the magnetic rocks,especially those found in
the ocean floor.
- When lava solidifies, iron bearing minearals crystallize. As the crystallize, the minerals behave like tiny
compass and occurs, there is also a change in the polarity of the rocks.
- These allows the scientist to visualize the magnetic stripes in the ocean floor and to construct a magnetic
polarity time scale.
- 4-5 reversals for million years
