Richland Elementary 4th Grade Plate Tectonics Richland Elementary 4th Grade

Earth’s Layers The Earth’s lithosphere, the rigid outer shell of Earth, consisting of the crust and upper mantle, is made up of a 15 major plates These plates are resting atop the hot plastic upper mantle, known as the asthenosphere.

7 Major Plates

3 types of Plate Boundaries Divergent Boundaries Convergent Boundaries Transform Boundaries

Divergent Boundaries -Plates Spread Apart

Divergent Plate Boundary Mid-Atlantic Ridge Iceland is divided by the North American and Eurasian Plates

Divergent Boundaries What happened to the frosting between the crackers?   What type of feature is produced by this movement?

Convergent Boundaries -Plates Collide Together Oceanic-Continental Boundary Continental-Continental Boundary Oceanic-Oceanic Boundary

Oceanic-Continental Convergent plate boundary Plates collide and the oceanic plate moves under the continental plate, called subduction. Creates ocean trenches. Creates mountains, volcanos and earthquakes

The Andes in South America The Andes Mountain range is 4,500 miles long. Is in 7 different countries. Notice the many volcanos present.

Oceanic-continental Boundary Why does the oceanic plate sink beneath the continental plate?  What features are formed on the continent along this boundary? What feature is formed in the ocean along the subduction zone?

Continental-Continental Convergent Plates Creates the world’s largest mountain ranges Magma can’t penetrate crust so no volcanos Continental collisions cause numerous and large earthquakes.

The Himalayas in Asia The mountain range spans 5 countries: India, Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet (China), & Pakistan. Formed 40-50 million years ago. Home to 9 of the 10 highest peaks on Earth. What is the Highest Peak?

Continental-Continental Convergent Plate Boundaries What happens to the wet ends of the graham crackers? What feature do the resulting ends of the wet crackers represent? Name a specific location on the Earth where this type of boundary activity takes place.

Transform Plate Boundary Plates slide past each other in opposite directions. Cause earthquakes

San Andreas Fault Transform Boundary Transform Boundary between Pacific plate and North American Plate San Andreas fault About 810 miles long

Transform Boundaries Name a specific location on the Earth where this type of boundary activity takes place. What is the direction of plate motion at a transform plate boundary? Why are transform faults on continents prone to massive earthquakes? Why do you think Earthquakes typically occur in California and not in the midwest?

Test your Plate Boundary Knowledge Which types of boundary plates form volcanos? Which types of boundary plates form mountains? Which types of boundary plates cause earthquakes?