Tectonic Plate Motion 10/5/157-3a pg. 177

IN: What do you think is causing sea-floor spreading and tectonic plates to move?

Put your DRW on the books

The process by which new oceanic lithosphere is created as older materials are pulled away.

The theory that the Earth’s lithosphere is divided into tectonic plates that move around on top of the athenosphere.

Hot material deep within the Earth rises while cooler material near the surface sinks.◦This is what causes tectonic plates to move around.

Convection

The process by which an oceanic plate slides down the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary.

Ridge Push

The process by which the edge of the oceanic plate sinks and pulls the rest of the tectonic plate with it.

Slab Pull

Flash Presentation

These plates are moving around. Which means that they:

◦Collide run into one another◦Divide move away from one

another◦Slideslide past one another

Glue in the diagram then,

OUT: When convection takes place in the mantle, why does cooler material sink, while warmer material rises?