A convection current is a moving current that transfers heat up to the top and moves cold throughout the bottom, this creates a liquid current in the mantle that has been flowing for billions of years and is still currently floating. Convection currents move tectonic plates when there is heat inside the mantle that is rising and falling. The radioactive decay in the core is responsible for the convection currents.  This proves that the tectonic plate theory is true because the currents cause the tectonic plates to move around and interact in different ways,thanks to the convection currents in the mantle.

Continental Drift Theory

The Continental Drift theory is the theory that the Earth's Continental Plates gradually move. This theory backs up Pangaea stating that the super continent broke apart and that the continent gradually started moving which explains about the inch we move about every year. The Continental Drift theory was at the time very controversial but some scientist today believe that this is still the most accurate theory describing the plates movement. On the Next page you will see read about some examples that are often used to back up this theory.

Examples Of Continental Drift

There have been many examples of Continental Drift and how there have been many artifacts and proof found to back up this theory. One example that can back up this theory are the same fossils from the same animal can be found in two continents that are all the way across the world from one and other. Plant fossils also back up this change. Another example is the climates and how they can be very similar even though they are all the way across the world. Scientist at the time did not believe Wegners claim because he could not explain why Continental Drift occurred and why.

Sea Floor Spreading

The sea floor spreading theory was a theory that was purposed by Harry Hess which explained what the sea floor did to affect the Continental Drift movement. Sea floor Spreading is the process of the sea floor moving at the mid ocean ridge. New crust is formed and volcanic activity starts to flow all through the crust, making new crust. Evidence that shows sea floor spreading can come from the rock samples near the mid-ocean ridge, the rockers closer to the ridge were younger than rock near trenches. Another piece of evidence are the magnetic rocks that can be found on either side of the ridge. For the Final example, earthquake data has shown oceanic crust sinking into the mantle at the trenches.

Why This Discovery Was Important

The Sea floor spreading theory was very important because this theory described why the continental plates move and can be used to often predict when volcanic activity may happen. This theory has also led to a lot of studies that can help us as understand why Earth functions this way and helps us make certain predictions like volcanic activity, the continental plate movement, and other important facts.

Plate Tectonics

The theory of Plate Tectonics states that the out side of the Earth (Lithosphere) id divided up into plates. These plates interact with each other by diverging, converging, or transforming with each other. These Interactions can cause land forms and can also shape the geography.

The Types Of Stress

There are three different kinds of stress that act on the Earth. These three members of the stress family are named compression, tension, and shear. Compression occurs at the convergent plates or when two plates are compressing each other. Tension occurs when two plates are diverging which creates tension in the crust which often times causes an earthquake. Shear occurs when two plates are transforming which means that they are sliding passed each other.

Convergent Boundaries

Convergent Boundaries are boundaries that move toward each other until they eventually collide and can form many crustal features. All of the possible crustal features they can make are Deep Ocean Trenches, Folded Mountains, Volcanoes, and Volcanic Island Arcs. (These are all that I could find)