By definition, the word plate in geologic terms means a large slab of solid rock. Catastrophic plate tectonics theories, such as snider proposed more than a century ago, appear capable of explaining a wide variety of dataincluding biblical and geologic data which the slow tectonics theories are incapable of explaining. Although the general idea of plate tectonics is now widely accepted, many aspects still continue to confound and challenge scientists. The earth surface has continuously been changing ever since it was formed, especially regarding the geomorphological and geological phenomena. Plate tectonics and its relationship to the evolution of ideas. You will use a computer or other resources to construct a timeline that shows the key ideas and scientists that played a role in the development of our understanding of plate tectonics. Even though the theory of plate tectonics is now widely accepted by the scientific community, aspects of the theory are still being debated today. This module describes how the work of alfred wegener, harry hess, and others led to our understanding of plate tectonics. As you read each paragraph, take notes about the key ideas in the. Create a timeline of the events leading to the theory of plate tectonics.
Plate tectonics, theory dealing with the dynamics of earths outer shell that revolutionized earth sciences by providing a uniform context for understanding mountainbuilding processes, volcanoes, and earthquakes as well as the evolution of earths surface. South america and africa can line up in a way that they fit perfectly together. Wegener proposed that the continents plowed through crust of ocean basins, which would explain why the outlines of many coastlines like south america and africa look like they fit together like a puzzle. What we would like is a model sufficiently good to predict such things as the average speed of a plate and the average size of a plate. Beginning in the 1950s, scientists like victor vacquier, using magnetic instruments magnetometers adapted from airborne devices developed during world war ii. Timeline of the development of the theory of plate tectonics significant events in the development of the theory of plate tectonics are summarized in the table. Plate tectonics, theory dealing with the dynamics of earths outer shell that revolutionized earth sciences by providing a uniform context for understanding mountainbuilding processes, volcanoes, and earthquakes as well as the evolution of earths surface and reconstructing its past continents and oceans. The development of the theory is an excellent example of the cumulative nature of science and the scientifc. Since then, scientists have verified and refined this theory, and now have a much better understanding of how our planet has been shaped by platetectonic processes. The structure of the earth, plate tectonics and landforms. Plate tectonics theory formulated the work of many scientists reveals that the earths surface is broken into several interconnected plates of rock.
The motion in the mantle the asthenosphere is caused by convection currents. History of ocean basins, in which he developed his idea of seafloor spreading, a fore. But before any historical questions can be examined we need an outline of the theory as it now exists. Plate tectonics theory is taught in science classrooms around the world, but just 50 years ago it was a hotly contested theory. Catastrophic plate tectonics a global flood model of earth. List and describe the evidence for the plate tectonics theory. These interactions produce volcanoes, earthquakes, mountains, and ocean basins. We now know that, directly or indirectly, plate tectonics influences nearly. History of plate tectonics plate tectonic theory had its beginnings in 1915 when alfred wegener proposed his theory of continental drift.
So we still lack what one might call the theory of the theory of plate tectonics. Pdf a historical account of how continental drift and plate tectonics. In the early 1960s, the emergence of the theoryof plate. If youre behind a web filter, please make sure that the domains. In this lab, students will explore artifacts supporting continental drift theory, then model continental drift. Each type of interaction causes a characteristic set of earth structures or tectonic features. Abraham ortelius abraham ortelius, was the one who came up with the continental drift theory. New crustal plate is formed at the midocean ridges and old crustal plate is destroyed at deep ocean trenches. His evidence was that some parts of the world like.
It started as a hypothesis and had to be proven with hard evidence before being completely accepted by the scientific community. Continental drift, seafloor spreading and plate tectonics. This approach is meant to highlight the historical development of the theory of plate tectonics. Plate tectonics from the late latin tectonicus, from the greek. The curriculum traces the evolution of the theory of plate tectonics. Describe the historical development of evidence that supports plate tectonic theory. Correspondingly, plate tectonic theory was developed during the late. The father of plate tectonics, alfred wegener wasnt recognized when he proposed continental drift in 1912. A brief introduction to alfred wegeners theory of continental drift, which would lay the groundwork for the development of plate tectonic theory, which essentially explains the geology of the. I have developed curriculum from a historical perspective that addresses two particular units of study in earth science geologic time and plate tectonics. Beginning at the edge of the continents we can recognize four principal depth. Relate plate tectonics to the formation of crustal features.
It includes contextualized experiences for stu dents such as telling stories, utilizing original historical texts, narratives, and essential. Plate tectonic theory explore historical development that supports plate tectonic theory in this presentation you will. How does the historical development of evidence support the theory of plate tectonics. The earliest references to this similarity were made in 1596 by flemish cartographer abraham ortelius and later in 1620 by the english philosopher francis bacon, in his. Plate tectonics is the theory that unified earlier ideas of continental drift and seafloor spreading. The theory of continental drift was the first step toward plate tectonic theory, which became the foundation upon which modern geology is built.
The new model of horizontal movement of the continents was called plate tectonics. Plate tectonics is the unifying theory of the earth how did the theory develop. Plate tectonic theory timeline timeline created by scienceclass2. Convection currentplate motion plate motion is thought to be caused by convection currents in the asthenosphere. Harry hess at the beginning of the 1960s and subsequently, at the end of the decade. Plate tectonic theory had its beginnings in 1915 when alfred wegener proposed his theory of continental drift. Accumulation of species distribution data theory of evolution technological innovations plate tectonics renaissance greek, roman, biblical 1600 1850 age of reason linnaeus, buffon, candolle, lamarck, lyell, forbes, sclater. The theory of plate tectonics grew out of earlier hypotheses and observations. However, after a less than a year since internet publication of the brochure, i decided to change its title to the one that better reflects its content, i. Rather than sniders rapid horizontal motion an the scale of.
Plasienka geological institute, slovak academy of sciences, slovakia keywords. Time line of the development of the theory of plate tectonics year event 1596 flemish mapmaker abraham ortelius noted that the coastlines of the continents appear to fit together. The outlines of the continents flanking the atlantic ocean are so similar that their correspondence was apparent as soon as accurate maps became available. This plate motion causes them to collide, pull apart, or scrape against each other.
In the early 1960s, the emergence of the theoryof plate tectonicsstarted a revolution in the earth sciences. Plate tectonics plate tectonics is the concept that the surface of the earth is made of plates that move around and interact with each other. The theory of plate tectonics explains the relative movement of crustal plates that are juxtaposed with each other to form an interlocking pattern of plate boundaries, oceanic trenches, mountain ranges, etc. Pdf to understand how plate tectonics became earths dominant mode of convection, we need to address three related problems. Although wegeners continental drift theory was later disproved, it was one of the first times that the idea of crustal movement had been introduced to the scientific community. The theory of plate tectonics geology lumen learning. The student knows that natural events can impact earth systems. The presentation about plate tectonics is divided into 3 separate discussions. During the great world explorations of the 15th 16th centuries, cartographers. Hans stille and leopold kober opposed the idea of continental drift and worked on a fixist geosyncline model with earth contraction playing a key role in. D describe how plate tectonics causes major geological events such as ocean basins, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building. Plate tectonics the earths crust is divided into plates which are moved in various directions. The historical development of evidence that supports plate tectonic theory.
Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that attempts to explain the movements of the earths lithosphere that have formed the landscape features we see across the globe today. In the early 1960s, the emergence of the theory of plate tectonics started a revolution in the earth sciences. Since the hotter material deep in the asthenosphere is less dense it will slowly rise, as it reaches the base of the lithosphere it begins to cool, become more dense, and will sink. New crustal plate is formed at the midocean ridges and. The theory of plate tectonics explains all this, including the movement of the continents, better than wegeners theory. Each inquiry lab will contain an essential questions that will drive the lessons and make students think.
The last 10 years have witnessed a remarkable growth in interest in the relationships between global tectonics and the earths maroscale topographic features. As years passed, more and more evidence was uncovered to support the idea that the plates. The crust is made up of six major plates and a number of minor ones. The theory of plate tectonics, like every scientific theory, resulted from centuries of observations and compilation of many scientists works. We now know that, directly or indirectly, plate tectonics influences nearly all geologic processes, past and present. The earthscience revolution launched by the theory of plate tectonics is not finished. All this evidence, both from the ocean floor and from the continental margins, made it clear around 1965 that continental drift was feasible and the theory of plate tectonics, which was defined in a series of papers between 1965 and 1967, was born, with all its extraordinary explanatory and predictive power.
We would like to propose a catastrophic plate tectonics theory as a framework for earth history. With no known process to account for these patterns, a variety of. Plate tectonic theory timeline timetoast timelines. A describe the historical development of evidence that supports plate tectonic theory. It explains plate tectonics as the driving force behind ongoing changes on earth. Plate tectonics plate tectonics development of tectonic theory. A theory proposed by alfred wegner in 1915 continents were once joined together forming a supercontinent named pangae meaning all land. The continents are carried on some of these plates. Describe some of the events and pieces of evidence that led to the theory of plate tectonics. Historical perspective on the evolution of plate tectonic theory. Plate tectonics has proven to be as important to the earth sciences as the discovery of the structure of the atom was to physics and chemistry and the theory of evolution was to the life sciences. Prior to the year 1900, most scientists that studied geology believed that the present position and shape of. Next introduction the outer layer of the earth is broken up into a number of different plates, that are constantly moving at a very slow speed next the study of the movement of these plates has led to a. Continental drift to plate tectonics timeline preceden.
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