Physical Geography

Plate Tectonics

"Mountain Maker, Earth Shaker!"

 
Below is an excellent site that allows you to see through animated diagrams what is happening when plates move. Go to the following site and follow the instructions.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/tectonics/

Click on the Plate Tectonics Activity at the top next to the cracked egg.

Note: you will need Shockwave installed on your machine in order to see the animations.

There are three diagrams in one.

1.    The top diagram shows you a vertical view of the plate movements.
2.    The middle diagram shows a cross-section of what is going on.
3.    The world map shows where on the earth the different plate movements are occurring. When you click on the top two diagrams the world map will show you where these movements are occurring.

The movements are
a.    Spreading
b.    Subduction (Oceanic plate meeting a continental plate)
c.    Collision (Two continental plates)
d.    Transform

There are other links that explain each movement in more detail. Check them out!!!
 

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