Learning Objectives
- Understand the Continental Drift Theory proposed by Alfred Wegener, including the concept of Pangaea and the evidence supporting this theory such as the jigsaw fit of continents, matching geological formations, and fossil distribution.
- Explain the process of Sea Floor Spreading as proposed by Harry Hess, including the formation of new oceanic crust at mid-ocean ridges and its implications for continental movement and oceanic features.
- Describe the Plate Tectonics theory, detailing the movement of Earth's lithospheric plates and how this explains the distribution of continents, oceanic trenches, and mountain ranges.
- Analyze the Convectional Current Theory by Arthur Holmes, focusing on how mantle convection currents driven by radioactive decay contribute to tectonic plate movement.
- Identify the patterns in the Distribution of Earthquakes and Volcanoes, particularly in relation to tectonic boundaries such as mid-ocean ridges and the Pacific Ring of Fire.
- Examine the Ocean Floor Configuration, including continental margins, abyssal plains, and mid-ocean ridges, to understand their role in plate tectonics.
- Trace the Movement of the Indian Plate from its original position near the Australian coast to its collision with the Eurasian Plate, leading to the uplift of the Himalayas.