(Figure 3.1) at the end of the Document:
Constructive Margins- is when two plates move apart and away from each other letting Magma (the molten rock which belies under the earths crust) reach the surface where its then called Lava. It cools off and created to landmasses which are very fertile because of it’s large mineral content. This process forms Mid-Ocean Ridges and is sometimes known as Sea-Floor Spreading. Example: Iceland.
Destructive Margins- is when two plates move together and one plate is pushed under the other plate. This only happens when a Continental Plate and a Oceanic Plate move together. The Oceanic Plate is pushed under the Continental Plate because of it’s heavy mass of Ocean Water. As it slides under the lighter Continental Plate it creates a Subduction Zone which is the point where the Oceanic Plate is swallowed by the magma and melts to create more magma. One way for the pressure to be released is by Volcanoes which are very evident at the site of Destruction. Example: Andes Ranges, South America.
Collison Zones- is when two continental plates move together in equal force to create mountain chains, often known as Fold Mountains. None of the plates are pushed under like in the Destructive Margin because they both have no Ocean Mass on it and they move together with equal force which makes both plates fold upwards to create new mountain chains. Example: Mt. Everest, Himalayas.
Conservative (Passive) Margin- is when two plates move parallel to each other sliding next to each other without moving away or towards each other. These are also called Transform Faults. Example: San Andreas Fault, California.
These different methods of Orogenesis have created the earths upper layer on which we live on with all the other species. The earths highest and lowest points are therefore found on the plate boundaries because those are the areas where the plates interact to form and construct these higher and lower points. The higher and lower points are created by different methods of Orogenisis. For Example the Hawaiian Islands where not formed by any of these Margins. The Hawaiian Islands and its Volcanoes are Hot Spots (Figure 5.1). This means that at that particular spot the Lithosphere is very thin which lets Magma escape and therefore create Volcanoes and add new landmasses, Islands.
The Highest Point of the Earths Crust which is Mt. Everest in Nepal, has been created by the process of Collision Zones. The highest point of the earths crust that is Mt. Everest has been created when the Eurasian Plate and Indo-Australian Plate have moved together to collide and fold upwards. Mt. Everest has a height of 8,848 meters or 29,029 feet altitude. It is the highest point of the Earths Crust.
The Lowest Point of the Earths Crust which is the Mariana Trench in the Pacific Ocean has a depth of 10,920 meters or 35,827 feet. It was created by the process of Constructive Margins or Sea-Floor Spreading. The Eurasian Plate has moved away from the North American plate which spreaded the Sea Floor in the Pacific Ocean ceating the Mariana Trench; the lowest point of the Lithosphere.
Therefore, the process of Orogenesis created the Highest and Lowest points of the Lithosphere and because of the Plate’s Locations thanks to Convection Currents has created those wonders on the Plate Boundaries. There are more diagrams shown at the end of this Informative Document.
Figure 1.1
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Figure 2.1
Figure 3.1
PLATE MARGINS:
Figure 4.1
"Pangea Ultima" will form 250 million years in the Future. “Current Plate movement is making the Pacific Ocean smaller, the Atlantic Ocean larger, and the Himalayan Mountains taller!” – Anonymous -
The next Pangea, which is called "Pangea Ultima" will form as a result of the subduction of the ocean floor of the North and South Atlantic which lies east of North America and South America. This “supercontinent” will have a small ocean trapped in its center.
Figure 5.1
The picture below shows the Ring of Fire, which is an area which is full of Volcanoes. It also shows the Hot Spot (Hawaiian Islands), and the view of the overall Plate Tectonics.
Figure 6.1
THE GLOBAL PLATES-
Plate Tectonics has shaped and created all of this. Without it our ecosystem where we live in with the Flora and Fauna would be nothing. Although the Lithosphere is important we shall not forget about the Hydrosphere, Biosphere, and Atmoshpere who all work together to create and construct the Planet Earth, our very own and large Ecosystem.
LIST OF SOURCES
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2.
3.
4. Encarta 99 Encyclopedia CD-ROM
5. My Notes and Knowledge
