This page discusses the current understanding of plate motion, highlighting three key factors: mantle convection, ridge push, and slab pull. Mantle convection allows lithospheric plates to move by cir...This page discusses the current understanding of plate motion, highlighting three key factors: mantle convection, ridge push, and slab pull. Mantle convection allows lithospheric plates to move by circulating materials, while ridge push results from gravity causing plates to slide from mid-ocean ridges. Slab pull refers to the force exerted by a subducting slab dragging its plate downward.
The page introduces the theory of plate tectonics, explaining how it accounts for the Earth's geological features and changes over time. It highlights the difficulties in the theory's acceptance due t...The page introduces the theory of plate tectonics, explaining how it accounts for the Earth's geological features and changes over time. It highlights the difficulties in the theory's acceptance due to lack of a driving mechanism for continental movement and geographic biases among early 20th-century geologists. The text also outlines learning objectives related to understanding different plate boundaries, the driving forces behind plate movements, and California's plate boundaries.
