Plate Tectonics Written By: Dan Mascaro and Peter the Plate
Table of Contents • • • • •
Introduction Plate Boundaries Transform Boundary Divergent Boundary Convergent Boundary
Introduction
Hi my name is Peter, I know a lot about plate tectonics. The reason I know so much is that I am part of the tectonic plate ideas. I know right now that your probably wondering, what in the world are plate tectonics. Since this a very regular question, I always have an answer. My answer is that plate tectonics are the ideas that explain what goes on below your feet.
Plate Boundaries
There are three types of plate boundaries. They are transform, divergent and convergent. When one plate moves, it makes the other plates move too. When plates move at the plate boundaries an earthquake is formed.
Transform Boundary At a transform boundary two plates slide past each other. It’s like two cars passing each other on the road. Though the difference is that, at this type of plate boundary, the plates move very slow. Most transform boundaries are found under water.
Divergent Boundary Plates at a divergent plate boundary, move away from each other. I like to think that it’s like grass growing in between side walks. When the concrete on the sidewalk spreads apart grass with grow in the middle. Though at a real divergent plate boundary, two plates move away from each other. When this happens new crust is formed.
Convergent Boundary A convergent boundary is different from the other types of boundaries, because a lot of events are taking place. The plates are coming together, but when this happens one plate slides under the other one, this is called subduction. Two people walking into each other is kind of like the same thing as what the plates do at a convergent boundary.
Subduction • Subduction is like the road that the ground floor takes back into the center of the earth. To remind myself about what subduction is, I think of when you dive into a pool. When you dive into a pool you hit the water and then get forced under it.
Volcanoes
• Volcanoes can be an effect on different plates shifting. A volcano is like a big hole that allows hot liquid from the earth called magma explode out of the ground. So when magma gets too hot, it comes up to the surface. The game Elefun the Elephant is a great example of what the magma from below the surface does. In this game butterflies are put on top of the elephants head, then they get pushed up and out of its trunk.
Volcanic Ash
Earthquakes • An earthquake is another type of effect that happens because of the changing of tectonic plates. Earthquakes are recorded on two scales, the Richter and the Mercalli scale. Earthquakes are measured on a level from 2-12 on the Mercalli scale, and there is no limit on the Richter scale. Earthquakes shake the ground, they do this because underground different plates are moving around. How much the ground pulled away from each other during an earthquake.
Epicenter • The epicenter of an earthquake is where the earthquake was most powerful. To find the epicenter of an earthquake, we use the Mercalli scale. I would compare the epicenter to like the bulls eye in darts. The epicenter is the strongest part of an earthquake.
Primary wave
Secondary wave
Seismologist • A seismologist is a very smart scientist who studies earthquakes. They look at earthquakes to predict them in the future.
Volcanologist • A volcanologist is a type of scientist who studies volcanology. This person looks at recent and past eruptions. These scientists visit volcanoes too.