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How Does Plate Tectonics Affect The Earth

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Throughout geologic history, tectonic plate boundaries have diverged, converged and transformed the Earth, causing the surface of the Earth to be in a constant state of change. Plate tectonics, at present, is observed only on the Earth and “refers to a particular mode of convection in a planetary mantle, which is made of silicate rocks” (Korenaga 2012, p. 87). The lithosphere of the Earth is divided into plates which move at different velocities over the mantle, with much of the Earth’s seismic and volcanic activity occurring when these different plates interact at plate boundaries. Volcanic activity, therefore, occurs at two types of plate boundaries: mid-ocean ridges and subduction zones. Plate tectonics also influence the evolution of the …show more content…

This is because plate tectonics affect the evolution of the atmosphere through volcanic degassing, and, as illustrated by Korenaga (2012, p. 87), is also “essential for the existence of a planetary magnetic field, which protects the atmosphere from the interaction with the solar wind”. Thus, the ability of the Earth to deflect the solar wind when it strikes the Earth’s magnetic field has meant that the planet has been able to protect its atmosphere and sustain life on Earth. Although, this is only possible as a result of plate tectonics, which enables the upper layers of the mantle to cool efficiently. This ensures that convection does not cease and prevents the Earth’s magnetic field from weakening and disappearing. Similarly, volcanic degassing determines the state of the atmosphere and climate and influences the ways in which volcanoes erupt. Hence, throughout geological history, volcanic degassing has been crucial to planetary habitability as it evidently prevented the planet from freezing, despite lower atmospheric pressures, by generating an adequate greenhouse effect. However, volcanoes occasionally erupt cataclysmically, emitting great volumes of gas and ash into the upper layers of the atmosphere. As a result, the volcanic debris may block incoming sunlight, causing global cooling, and can thereby lead to widespread crop failure and famine. The habitable zone of the Earth is, therefore, dependant on the operation of plate tectonics, as it provides the necessary conditions for atmospheric evolution and life on

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Rocks are heated underneath the crust then pushed out through a volcano or the oceanic plate. The rock substance that becomes the crust will deposit back underneath the crust. All of the process can be credited to the dynamic nature of Earth.

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Valerie Beketova Dr. Bennett AP Environmental Science 10 December 2015 Chapter 14 Outline Earth is a very dynamic planet Earth is made up of different layers: - Core - interior made up of dense, extremely hot metal, mostly iron. It is the most inside layer of earth. - Mantle - hot, pliable layer that surrounds the most inner layer, the core. It is less dense than core.

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1. What is subduction and how did it plus faulting lead to the formation of Catalina’s island? 
 Blueschist, greenschist, and amphibolite rocks are typically found in this order from top to bottom. Amphibolite is found at more intense pressures and temperatures than schists are found due to these metamorphic rocks being made from sediments that get subducted back down into the mantle. The unique Catalina Schist was formed when these layers of rock in the Farallon plate became subducted underneath the North American plate and eventually becoming “stuck.”

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The two tectonic plates associated with Popocatepetl are the North American Plate, which is a continental plate and the Cocos Plate, which is a oceanic plate. These two plates move towards each other, this is known as convergence. The North American Plate and the Cocos Plate collided and Cocos

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The asthenosphere is making convection currents. Since the convection currents are always moving it causes the asthenosphere to move and bend because it is ductile. When the asthenosphere moves which is under the tectonic plates it will cause an earthquake or more specifically the Alaskan Way

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The Canadian Shield is arguably the best land form region. Tectonic forces and glaciation have combined to shape the Canadian shield, making it different from other Canadian landform regions, directly affecting economic activity. Firstly, Tectonic Activity created the base of the Canadian Shield is 2.5 billion years old craton made of igneous rock. Tectonic activity directly affects the Canadian Shield to this day, because many economic activities take place on the rock.

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This volcanism has included such notable eruptions as Mount Mazama (Crater Lake) about 7,500 years ago, Mount Meager about 2,350 years ago, and Mount St. Helens in 1980. Major cities affected by a disturbance in this subduction zone would include Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia; Seattle, Washington; and Portland, Oregon. The two tectonic plates involved in the subduction process at the convergent fault line are the Juan de Fuca plate and the North American plate. The Juan De Fuca plate being the denser oceanic plate is being subducted under the continental North American plate. Although the fault line is on the coast of the Northern American plate tectonic activity is also heavily present inland, evidence of this is the cascade volcanic arc formed by the tectonic movements at the fault

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The active plate boundary between the Pacific plates and the North American is a major factor in the topography of both Yosemite and Sequoia- Kings Canyon National Park. The plate boundary is gradually moving toward the Eastern California Sheer Zone from the San Andreas

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In general, volcanic activity related to subduction in oceanic and continental arcs seems to be caused by the melting of the mantle wedge above the subsiding lithosphere. A process which is induced by the release of hot fluids, essentially water (dehydration), by the descending slab into the asthenospheric wedge resulting in a decrease of the wedge's melting point often followed by its partial melting (4,5). Prior to the 1980 eruption, Mount St. Helens had been in a dormant state since 1856, having over the past 4 millenia displayed sporadic eruptive activity, seemingly increasing in frequency, with initial eruptions being separated by dormant intervals ranging from thousands to several hundreds of years to more recent intervals of 1 or 2 centuries in length

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The earth is like a jigsaw puzzle, it moves in someway or another all of the time. The tectonic plates that form the surface of the Earth are often sliding against each other, which triggers earthquakes. The 1960 Chile Earthquake was the largest earthquake ever recorded which had a tremendous impact not only on the immediate area and the people living there, but also on the rest of the world. The 1960 was the largest earthquake ever recorded.

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The Earth’s crust has several moving pieces. They are composed of a variety of igneous metamorphic and sedimentary rocks. The tectonic plates are always colliding or pulling apart, creating mountains. Earthquakes and volcanoes occur at the edge of these tectonic plates because of the impact of the plate movements are greatest there.

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These two plates push and shove each other causing small tremors throughout which can cause landslides,volcanic eruptions and once in a couple years, quakes with devastating results. The strongest earthquake recorded occurred in 1991 with a measure of 7.6 on the Richter scale. This earthquake left 4 dead and buildings as well as bridges and road were completely destroyed. If another Earthquake occurs, the coastal cities would be the most affected ones as they are closer to the plates.

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When asked which gender one belongs to, most people are certain of their answer. They know whether they are a man or a woman. Even though the recognition that one may not identify with being a ‘man’ or ‘woman’ despite having the sexual organs that define them as such now exists, gender tends to still be thought of in terms of two opposite categories. In addition, gender is still seen as an aspect of one’s ‘true’ identity—as an unchangeable part of who an individual is—by many mainstream channels. How immutable, however, is gender?

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As the African and Eurasian plates converge, it can create several types of landforms. Volcanic islands like Santorini are created when the oceanic crust is subducted beneath the continental; the friction caused by the subduction zone created a magma chamber that later spews of the crust and creates a volcano. Deep-sea trenches are formed through this process as well; as the oceanic crust is subducted beneath the continental, it is subducted at an angle and thus creating a v-shaped depression on the ocean floor. An example of a

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that zone is more subject to seismic disasters. Tectonic, volcanic, collapse and explosion, are the four different types of earthquakes. A tectonic earthquake is one that occurs when the earth 's crust breaks due to geological forces on rocks and adjoining plates that cause physical and chemical changes. A volcanic earthquake is when a volcano erupts and shakes the plates.

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