In this presentation, I will In this presentation, I will talk to you about :talk to you about :

1)1) What are Tectonic plates?What are Tectonic plates?

2)2) Movement of Tectonic platesMovement of Tectonic plates

3)3) Examples of movement of Examples of movement of Tectonic platesTectonic plates

The Earth’s surface is made up of The Earth’s surface is made up of large plates. These plates are known large plates. These plates are known as the Tectonic plates. as the Tectonic plates.

The tectonic plates do not stay fixed The tectonic plates do not stay fixed at one position but instead they are at one position but instead they are in constant movement.in constant movement.

As I have mentioned before, Tectonic plates have the ability to move. But they do so only by few centimeters each year. They can move due to convention currents.We can say that the Tectonic plates move because if you look at a map of the world carefully, you will notice that each continent can fit together nicely. The land mass was then called a Pangea.

• The idea of Tectonic plates moving The idea of Tectonic plates moving together or apart is known as atogether or apart is known as a Continental drift.Continental drift.

• This theory was first being invented This theory was first being invented by a German scientist calledby a German scientist called Alfred Alfred Wenger. Wenger.

When two Tectonic plates come When two Tectonic plates come together, together, they are actually they are actually being pushed against each being pushed against each other. other.

When this happens, the When this happens, the boundaries boundaries of each plate move upwards as it has of each plate move upwards as it has no where else to move.no where else to move. This action This action causes a causes a mountain rangemountain range to form. to form.

When a Tectonic plate moves apart When a Tectonic plate moves apart from another one, water starts to from another one, water starts to collect in between the two plates.collect in between the two plates.

As the water starts collecting, an As the water starts collecting, an ocean is actually being formed. ocean is actually being formed.

We can say that the two plates We can say that the two plates

are are divergingdiverging. .

Long time ago, India was not connected to Long time ago, India was not connected to Asia, but was on its on. Asia, but was on its on.

Then, one day the plate started moving little Then, one day the plate started moving little by little towards Asia until one day, it by little towards Asia until one day, it crashed into Asia. crashed into Asia.

This connection caused the boundaries of This connection caused the boundaries of each plate to hit and move upwards, which each plate to hit and move upwards, which caused the formation of the Himalayas.caused the formation of the Himalayas.

An example were two plates An example were two plates moved apart was when the moved apart was when the Atlantic ocean was created.Atlantic ocean was created. Two Two tectonic plates had moved apart. tectonic plates had moved apart. This lead to formation of water in This lead to formation of water in between the two plates.between the two plates.

As the two plates moved further As the two plates moved further apart, more and more water was apart, more and more water was accumulated in between. accumulated in between.

Tectonic movement can cause serious catastrophes. It can result in Volcanic eruption, Tsunamis and finally earthquakes.

A volcanic eruption is caused when two Tectonic plates move apart. An earthquake is formed when two plates hit together and finally, a Tsunami is formed when an earthquake has taken place.

Example of a recent Tectonic Example of a recent Tectonic movementmovement

A recent case of movement of Tectonic plates A recent case of movement of Tectonic plates was in 2004. The Eurasian plate had moved, was in 2004. The Eurasian plate had moved, causing an Earthquake at Sumatra. causing an Earthquake at Sumatra.

And this did not stop there. The Earthquake had And this did not stop there. The Earthquake had formed gigantic waves, called Tsunamiformed gigantic waves, called Tsunami. The . The tsunami did a lot of damage to most of the tsunami did a lot of damage to most of the countries of the Asian coast, especially countries of the Asian coast, especially India, Sri India, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand. Lanka, Indonesia and Thailand.

Tsunami

• I will conclude by saying that Tectonic Plates play an important part in the development of our planet cause it may cause a lot of damage if it moves.