What is the theory of plate tectonics simple answer?

The theory of plate tectonics states that the Earth’s solid outer crust, the lithosphere, is separated into plates that move over the asthenosphere, the molten upper portion of the mantle. Oceanic and continental plates come together, spread apart, and interact at boundaries all over the planet.

What do you understand by plate tectonic theory?

Plate tectonics is the theory that Earth’s outer shell is divided into large slabs of solid rock, called “plates,” that glide over Earth’s mantle, the rocky inner layer above Earth’s core. Earth’s solid outer layer, which includes the crust and the uppermost mantle, is called the lithosphere.

What are the three theories of tectonic plate movements?

Plates of lithosphere move because of convection currents in the mantle. One type of motion is produced by seafloor spreading. Plate boundaries can be located by outlining earthquake epicenters. Plates interact at three types of plate boundaries: divergent, convergent and transform.

What concepts is part of the theory of plate tectonics?

Several basic principles underlie the theory of plate tectonics. Key concepts include: the lithosphere and the asthenosphere; “plates”; convection; the observation that the most active geology takes place on plate boundaries; and the Wilson Cycle, a concept that describes lifecycles of oceans and continents.

What does the theory plate tectonics say?

The theory of plate tectonics itself says that the Earth’s lithosphere is made up individual plates that are broken down into over a dozen large and small pieces of solid rock. These fragmented plates ride next to each other on top of the Earth’s more fluid lower mantle to create different types of plate boundaries that have shaped the Earth’s landscape over millions of years.

What is key to explaining plate tectonics?

The key principle of plate tectonics is that the lithosphere exists as separate and distinct tectonic plates, which ride on the fluid-like (visco-elastic solid) asthenosphere.

What is the idea behind plate tectonic plates?

The system of ideas behind plate tectonics theory suggests that Earth’s outer shell (lithosphere) is divided into several plates that glide over the Earth’s rocky inner layer above the soft core (mantle). The plates act like a hard and rigid shell compared to Earth’s mantle.