EARTH

SYSTEMS

GOALS

1. Describe the formation

of Earth and
distribution of elements

2. Define and describe the

Theory of Plate
Tectonics
3. Calculate Plate
Movement

HOMEWORK

Cite and describe three ways

in which a knowledge of earth
systems (earth formation and
tectonics so far) is beneficial
to environmental science.
What is allopatric speciation
and how does it relate to
plate tectonics.

GO

BACKGROUND
Earth formation = 4.6 BYA
Dust cloud molten sphere
Cooled planet (with elements
separated vertically by mass)
Heavy = sink
Light = float
Gasses escaped to form atmosphere
Today = stable composition

UNEVEN
DISTRIBUTION

Availability determined when the planet

formed*

Who cares?
Some materials readily available (i.e.
silica, glass)
Others not so much (diamonds)

Economic and political conflicts throughout

history
*What we had then is chiefly
what we still have nowbut

SETTLING BY MASS

CRUST
ASTHENOSPHERE
MANTLE
CORE

Core
Inner = solid
Outer = liquid

LITHOSPHERE?

Mantle
Inner = liquid magma flows in convection cells
Outer (called asthenosphere) is ductile

Crust
Brittle
Chemically distinct
Covered in thin layer of soil
Elements here make life possible
UPPER MANTLE AND CRUST = Lithosphere (roughly
100Km deep)

Important note: There is overlap between boundaries

i.e. the lower lithosphere is the same as the upper mantle.

EARTH IS DYNAMIC +
CONSTANTLY
CHANGING

Earth remains hot at its

center
Who cares?
1. Heat Rises
a. Plumes form
a. molten magma from
the mantle reached
the lithosphere

Same question Mr. Wells

OKAY -- Heat cycling (convection

currents) within the earth drives
processes that change, create and renew
materials
Its essential to Earth dynamics

THEORY OF
PLATE
TECTONICS

EARLY IDEAS

1900 = Earth features = fixed

Wegner and Pangaea =

continents once joined
Geological evidence
Fossil Evidence
Scientific community resisted
this idea of lateral
movement

NEW IDEA

Following much investigation

and compiling evidence
Plate Tectonics Earths lithosphere divided
into platesmost in constant
motion
Tectonic cycle = the sum of all building and breaking
down of the lithosphere

PLATES

Oceanic = dense
Continental = light

They float over whats

beneath

*Another connection* = The slow motion of the

plates is driven by convection currents in the
mantle.

ADDITIONAL
EVIDENCE?

2:00 BREAK

TYPES OF
PLATE
BOUNDARIES

Divergent plates move apart

(e.g. seafloor spreading)

Convergent plates move

towards one another

Transform Plates move past one

another laterally

Copper, silver, and

lead released.

Mountains created

Earthquakes

Movement along most plate boundaries is ~36mm/yr (1.4 inches)

TERMS

Fault Zone Occur at plate boundaries and affect

the brittle upper lithosphere

Fault Where rock fractures due to movement

Epicenter exact spot on the surface directly
above where rock ruptures

RING OF FIRE

NOTES TO READ
ON YOUR OWN

EARTHQUAKES

Richter scale measures intensity of seismic waves

Magnitudes 1-10
Log scale.
e.g. 6.0 is 10x 5.0
Even moderate quakes (5.0-5.9) are very destructive

Impacts:
Contaminated water
Building losses
Ruptured dams
Fire
Loss of life

Human toll highest when in close proximity to areas of high

seismic activity
Magnitude not as important as distance from quake

Case Studies:
2008 China (7.9)
2010 Haiti (7.0)
2011 Fukushima (9.0)

20% of nuclear reactors operate in areas of frequent seismic

activitythey are designed to shut down when an event occurs.
In Japan it happened 4 times between 2004-2009.

VOLCANOES

Natural source of atmospheric CO2,

particulates, and metals

Consequences of eruptions:
Habit destruction
Acidification
Reduced air quality
Loss of life
Case Study:
2010 Iceland -- large amounts of silica
dioxide (SiO2) ejectedharmful to
airplane engines. Largest travel
disruption in history.