Earth’s Layers and Plate Tectonics

In the early 1900s, Alfred Wegener, a German scientist, proposed the Continental Drift Hypothesis, the idea that Earth’s continents were once joined t

One of the most substantial pieces of evidence supporting continental drift and plate tectonics comes from Earth’s magnetic field. Over millions of ye

The ocean floor is not flat it has mountains, valleys, and ridges that provide clues about how Earth’s surface changes. Bathymetry is the study of the

One of the strongest pieces of evidence for seafloor spreading comes from magnetic patterns recorded in oceanic rocks. Earth’s magnetic field has flip

In the 1960s, scientist Harry Hess proposed the Seafloor Spreading Hypothesis, which provided key evidence for plate tectonics. According to this idea

Earth’s outer shell, the lithosphere, is broken into large pieces called tectonic plates. These plates float on the partially melted layer of the mant

Earth’s outer shell is made up of large pieces called tectonic plates. These plates move slowly over time, changing the planet's surface. Sometimes, t

The surface of Earth is made of large pieces called tectonic plates. These plates move slowly over time. The theory of plate tectonics explains how th

Divergent plate boundaries in the oceans occur when the tectonic plates move away from each other, creating a new ocean floor. These boundaries are mo

Divergent plate boundaries occur when tectonic plates move away from each other. While they are most commonly found in the oceans, they can also occur

Earth’s surface is made up of large sections called tectonic plates. These plates move in different ways, and a transform plate boundary is where two

The Earth's surface is made up of large pieces of rock called tectonic plates. These plates are always moving, but very slowly. Sometimes, an oceanic

The Earth's surface is made of large, moving sections called tectonic plates. Sometimes, two oceanic plates slowly push toward each other. When this h

The Earth's surface is made up of large, moving sections called tectonic plates. Sometimes, two continental plates push toward each other. When this h

Continental margins are the edges of continents that meet the ocean. They include three main parts: the continental shelf, the continental slope, and

The supercontinent cycle is the process where Earth's landmasses come together to form a supercontinent and then break apart over millions of years. T