Plate Tectonics 4 Main Layers The earth is

4 Main Layers • The earth is divided into four main layers based on

A. Inner Core • Solid- It is very hot, but it is a solid

B. Outer Core • Liquid • Made of Iron and Nickel

C. Mantle • Liquid- peanut butter-like consistency. It can flow and move, but is

D. Crust • • • Solid, rocky. We live on the crust Made of

II. Convection in the Mantle • A. Since the mantle is liquid, the material

III. Plate Tectonics • A. The solid, outer part of the crust and upper

IV. Alfred Wegener • A. Alfred Wegener believed the crust of the earth moved

• # 1 - the shapes of the continents look like they fit

• # 2 - Fossils on continents beside each other match up.

• # 3 - Rock types and Mountain ranges on continents beside each

• # 4 - Warm climate fossils are found in Antarctica, and there

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Plate Tectonics

4 Main Layers • The earth is divided into four main layers based on composition and state of matter.

A. Inner Core • Solid- It is very hot, but it is a solid because it is under so much pressure from all of the layers above it. • Made of Solid Iron very dense metal

B. Outer Core • Liquid • Made of Iron and Nickel

C. Mantle • Liquid- peanut butter-like consistency. It can flow and move, but is almost solid in places. • Made of lighter elements. • Convection Currents occur in the mantle.

D. Crust • • • Solid, rocky. We live on the crust Made of mostly Oxygen and Silicon Made up of rocks and sediments. Divided into Plates that move around on the mantle.

II. Convection in the Mantle • A. Since the mantle is liquid, the material can flow. Convection currents cause the material to move around. • B. Convection Currentwhen material is heated, heated it becomes less dense and rises. Then it cools, cools becomes more dense and sinks again.

III. Plate Tectonics • A. The solid, outer part of the crust and upper mantle is called the LITHOSPHERE. • B. The lithosphere floats on the liquidlike part of the mantle, mantle which is called the ASTHENOSPHERE. The lithosphere is broken into sections called PLATES. The plates get carried along as the asthenosphere moves due to convection currents, currents like a raft in a river.

IV. Alfred Wegener • A. Alfred Wegener believed the crust of the earth moved as early as the 1800 s, but he couldn’t explain what made them move. He called his idea CONTINENTAL DRIFT. He thought the plates moved because of 4 reasons:

• # 1 - the shapes of the continents look like they fit together like a puzzle. • Pangea supercontinent when all the continents joined together.

• # 2 - Fossils on continents beside each other match up.

• # 3 - Rock types and Mountain ranges on continents beside each other match up. up

• # 4 - Warm climate fossils are found in Antarctica, and there is evidence of glaciers in places that are now tropical. A possible explanation is the continents moved. Glossipteris- fern fossil found in Antarctica