CHAPTER
NEW CHAPTER
Plate Tectonics
the BIG idea
The movement of tectonic plates causes geologic changes on Earth.
6.1 Earth has several layers.
6.2 Continents change position over time.
6.3 Plates move apart.
6.4 Plates converge or scrape past each other.
CHAPTER OUTLINE
CHAPTER RESOURCES
6.1
CHAPTER HOME
KEY CONCEPT
Earth has several layers.
VOCABULARY
lithosphere
inner core
outer core
crust
mantle
crust
mantle
lithosphere
asthenosphere
outer core
inner core
The lithosphere is made up of tectonic plates, which rest
on the asthenosphere.
asthenosphere
tectonic plate
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
SECTION
OUTLINE
6.1
CHAPTER HOME
KEY CONCEPT
Earth has several layers.
VOCABULARY
lithosphere
inner core
outer core
crust
mantle
crust
mantle
lithosphere
asthenosphere
outer core
inner core
VISUALIZATION
CLASSZONE.COM
Examine continental movement
over the past 150 million years.
asthenosphere
tectonic plate
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
SECTION
OUTLINE
6.2
KEY CONCEPT
CHAPTER HOME
Continents change position over time.
Gravity and motions in the asthenosphere move
tectonic plates over Earth’s surface.
VOCABULARY
continental drift
Pangaea
mid-ocean ridge
convection
convection
current
theory of plate
tectonics
Earth’s tectonic plates. Arrows indicate the direction of
movement.
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
SECTION
OUTLINE
6.3
KEY CONCEPT
CHAPTER HOME
Plates move apart.
New crust is formed at divergent boundaries. Features
include:
• mid-ocean ridges
VOCABULARY
divergent
boundary
convergent
boundary
transform
boundary
rift valley
magnetic reversal
hot spot
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
SECTION
OUTLINE
6.3
KEY CONCEPT
CHAPTER HOME
Plates move apart.
New crust is formed at divergent boundaries. Features
include:
• mid-ocean ridges
• records of magnetic reversals
VOCABULARY
divergent
boundary
convergent
boundary
transform
boundary
rift valley
magnetic reversal
hot spot
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
SECTION
OUTLINE
6.3
KEY CONCEPT
CHAPTER HOME
Plates move apart.
New crust is formed at divergent boundaries. Features
include:
• mid-ocean ridges
• records of magnetic reversals
• rift valleys
VOCABULARY
divergent
boundary
convergent
boundary
transform
boundary
rift valley
magnetic reversal
hot spot
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
SECTION
OUTLINE
6.3
KEY CONCEPT
CHAPTER HOME
Plates move apart.
New crust is formed at divergent boundaries. Features
include:
• mid-ocean ridges
• records of magnetic reversals
• rift valleys
VOCABULARY
divergent
boundary
convergent
boundary
transform
boundary
VISUALIZATION
CLASSZONE.COM
Explore what happens along
plate boundaries.
rift valley
magnetic reversal
hot spot
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
SECTION
OUTLINE
6.4
CHAPTER HOME
KEY CONCEPT
Plates converge or scrape past each other.
Crust is destroyed or folded at convergent boundaries.
• Subduction boundaries form island arcs, deepocean trenches, and coastal mountains.
• Collision boundaries can form mountains.
VOCABULARY
subduction
continentalcontinental
collision
oceanic-oceanic
subduction
oceaniccontinental
subduction
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
SECTION
OUTLINE
6.4
CHAPTER HOME
KEY CONCEPT
Plates converge or scrape past each other.
Crust is destroyed or folded at convergent boundaries.
• Subduction boundaries form island arcs, deepocean trenches, and coastal mountains.
• Collision boundaries can form mountains.
Crust is neither formed nor destroyed at transform
boundaries.
VOCABULARY
subduction
continentalcontinental
collision
oceanic-oceanic
subduction
oceaniccontinental
subduction
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
SECTION
OUTLINE
6.1
KEY CONCEPT
CHAPTER HOME
Earth has several layers.
I. Earth has several layers.
A. Earth is made up of materials with different
densities.
B. Earth’s layers have different properties.
1. Core, Mantle, Crust
C. The lithosphere is made up of many plates.
VOCABULARY
inner core
outer core
mantle
crust
lithosphere
asthenosphere
tectonic plate
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
KEY CONCEPT
SUMMARY
6.2
KEY CONCEPT
CHAPTER HOME
Continents change position over time.
II. Continents change position over time.
VOCABULARY
continental drift
A. Continents join together and split apart.
Pangaea
1. Evidence for Continental Drift
mid-ocean ridge
2. Pangaea and Continental Drift
convection
B. The theory of plate tectonics explains how
plates and their continents move.
1. Evidence from the Sea Floor
convection
current
theory of plate
tectonics
2. Causes of Plate Movement
3. Putting the Theory Together
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
KEY CONCEPT
SUMMARY
6.3
KEY CONCEPT
CHAPTER HOME
Plates move apart.
III. Plates move apart.
A. Tectonic plates have different boundaries.
B. The sea floor spreads apart at divergent
boundaries.
VOCABULARY
divergent
boundary
convergent
boundary
1. Mid-Ocean Ridges and Rift Valleys
transform
boundary
2. Sea-Floor Rock and Magnetic Reversals
rift valley
C. Continents split apart at divergent boundaries.
magnetic reversal
D. Hot spots can be used to track plate
movements.
hot spot
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
KEY CONCEPT
SUMMARY
6.4
KEY CONCEPT
CHAPTER HOME
Plates converge or scrape past each
other.
IV. Plates converge or scrape past each other.
A. Tectonic plates push together at convergent
boundaries.
1. Continental-Continental Collision
2. Oceanic-Oceanic Subduction
3. Oceanic-Continental Subduction
B. Tectonic plates scrape past each other at
transform boundaries.
VOCABULARY
subduction
continentalcontinental
collision
oceanic-oceanic
subduction
oceaniccontinental
subduction
C. The theory of plate tectonics helps geologists
today.
CHAPTER
RESOURCES
KEY CONCEPT
SUMMARY
CHAPTER HOME
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