7.2.1. Lithospheric plates

Lithospheric plates

The lithosphere is formed by the top of the mantle and the crust oceanic and continental, so that distinguish between oceanic lithosphere and continental lithosphere.

The lithosphere is fragmented into a series of rigid and stable lithospheric plates that are located on a zone of low speed of seismic waves (formerly asthenosphere), of plastic behavior, which favors their displacement caused by convection currents.

According to the type of crust that compose it, several types of lithospheric plates are distinguished:

Oceanic plates, formed solely by oceanic crust, such as the Nazca plate or the Pacific plate.
Continental plates, formed exclusively by continental crust, like the Arabian plate.
Mixed plates, formed by continental crust and oceanic crust, such as the Euriasian plate, the South American plate and most of the plates.

Placas litosfericas

By English: Traducido por Mario Fuente Cid en Inkscape Free SoftwareEspañol: Traducido porción Mario Fuente Cid en Inkscape Software Libre [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

At the plate edges there are relative movements between the plates. These edges can be of three types:

Divergent or constructive edges. The plates separate and anoceanic lithosphere is generated. They are found in the oceanic ridges, through which molten material comes out from the interior of the Earth to form the oceanic crust.
Converging or destructive edges. There is a collision between the two plates. The oceanic lithosphere is destroyed in the subduction zones, where the denser plate is introduced under the lighter one and follows the downward convective current. Due to the tension that accumulates in these areas, earthquakes are frequent. Volcanoes are formed, island arches, and mountain ranges are also generated.
Passive edges. Lateral movements occur between the plates, without separation or collision between them. It coincides with the transform faults. There are often earthquakes in these areas, such as the San Andreas fault near San Francisco.

Curiosity: Latest earthquakes produced in the world.

Curiosity: Latest earthquakes in Spain.

Video: Plate Boundaries & Tectonic plates (Educational).

Game: Identify the tectonic plates on the map.

Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License 4.0

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Skip navigation Biology and Geology 4th ESO Biology and Geology 4º ESO 1. The cell 1.1. Levels of organization of living beings 1.2. Cell theory 1.3. The cell 1.3.1. Prokaryotic cell 1.3.2. Eukaryotic cell 1.3.2.1. Common organelles 1.3.2.2. Organelles of the animal cell 1.3.2.3. Plant cell organelles 1.4. Cell nucleus 1.5. Vital functions of cells 1.6. Cellular cycle 1.6.1. Mitosis 1.6.1.1. Cytokinesis 1.6.2. Meiosis 1.6.2.1. Meiosis I. First meiotic division 1.6.2.2. Meiosis II. Second meiotic division 1.6.2.3. Result of meiosis 1.6.3. Differences between mitosis and meiosis 1.6.4. Biological importance of mitosis and meiosis 1.7. Bibliography 2. Genetic information 2.1. Nucleic acids 2.1.1. DNA 2.1.2. RNA 2.1.3. Control of protein synthesis 2.2. DNA and molecular genetics 2.3. Gene concept 2.4. Replication of DNA 2.5. DNA to RNA transcription 2.6. Genetic code 2.7. Translation of RNA to proteins 2.8. Mutations Relations with evolution 2.9. Biotechnology 2.10. Genetic engineering: techniques and applications 2.10.1. Cloning 2.10.2. Human Genome Project 2.11. Bioethics 2.12. Bibliography 3. Biological inheritance 3.1. The inheritance and transmission of characters 3.2. Introduction and development of Mendel's Laws 3.2.1. Mendel's First Law 3.2.2. Mendel's second law 3.2.3. Mendel's third law 3.3. Chromosomal basis of Mendel's Laws 3.3.1. Exceptions to Mendel's Laws 3.3.2. Chromosomal theory of heredity 3.3.3. Genetics concepts 3.3.4. Types of inheritance 3.4. Human genetics 3.4.1. Inheritance of blood groups 3.4.2. Sex inheritance 3.4.3. Sex-linked inheritance 3.4.4. Heredity influenced by sex 3.5. Genetics problems 3.5.1. Inheritance of a character (problems solved) 3.5.1.1. Albinism (problems solved) 3.5.1.2. Rh groups (problems solved) 3.5.1.3. Eye color (problems solved) 3.5.1.4. More inheritance problems of a character 3.5.1.5. More inheritance problems of a character 3.5.1.6. More inheritance problems of a character 3.5.1.7. More inheritance problems of a character 3.5.2. Two-character inheritance (problems solved) 3.5.2.1. More two-character genetic inheritance solved problems 2 3.5.2.2. More two-character genetic inheritance solved problems 3 3.5.2.3. More two-character genetic inheritance solved problems 4 3.5.2.4. More two-character genetic inheritance solved problems 5 3.5.3. Codominance and intermediate inheritance (problems solved) 3.5.3.1. More codominance and intermediate inheritance problems 2 3.5.4. Sex-linked inheritance (problems solved) 3.5.4.1. Color blindness or daltonism (problems solved) 3.5.4.1.1. More color blindness problems or daltonism 3.5.4.2. Hemophilia (problems solved) 3.5.4.3. Sex-linked inheritance (two characters) 3.5.4.4. More sex-linked inheritance problems 3.5.5. Sex-influenced inheritance (problems solved) 3.5.6. Multiple alleles (problems solved) 3.5.6.1 AB0 blood groups (problems solved) 3.5.6.1.1. More AB0 blood group problems solved 2 3.5.6.1.2. More AB0 blood group problems solved 3 3.5.7. Genealogical trees 3.5.7.1. Family Trees 2 3.5.7.2. Family Trees 3 3.6. Bibliography 4. Origin and evolution of living beings 4.1. Hypothesis about the origin of life on Earth 4.2. Evolution of living beings 4.3. Theories of evolution 4.3.1. Lamarck 4.3.2. Darwin and Wallace 4.3.3. Neo-Darwinism 4.3.4. Other evolutionary theories 4.4. Evidences of evolution 4.4.1. Anatomical evidence of evolution 4.4.2. Embryological evidence of evolution 4.4.3. Paleontological evidence of evolution 4.4.4. Biogeographic evidence of evolution 4.4.5. Biochemical evidence of evolution 4.5. Mechanisms of evolution 4.5.1. Genetic variability 4.5.2. Natural selection 4.5.3. Consequences of evolution 4.5.3.1. Adaptation of organisms 4.5.3.2. Speciation 4.5.3.3. Species diversification 4.6. Human evolution: process of hominization 4.6.1. Primates 4.6.2. Hominids 4.6.3. The human being 4.7. Bibliography 5. The history of the Earth 5.1. The origin of the Earth 5.2. Earth, a changing planet 5.3. Geological time: historical ideas about the age of the Earth 5.4. Dating methods 5.4.1. Relative dating 5.4.1.1. Geological history exercises - relative dating 5.4.2. Absolute dating 5.5. Fossils 5.5.1. Fossils in Aragon 5.6. Geological history of the Earth 5.6.1. Precambrian 5.6.2. Phanerozoic 5.6.2.1. Paleozoic 5.6.2.2. Mesozoic 5.6.2.3. Cenozoic 5.7. Bibliography 6. Structure and dynamics of the Earth 6.1. Earth study methods 6.1.1. Seismic discontinuities 6.2. Structure and composition of the Earth 6.2.1. Geochemical model 6.2.2. Dynamic model 6.3. Bibliography 7. Plate tectonics 7.1. From continental drift to plate tectonics 7.1.1. Wegener continental drift 7.2. Plate Tectonics and its manifestations 7.2.1. Lithospheric plates 7.2.2. Oceanic ridges 7.2.2.1. Expansion of the ocean floor 7.2.3. Ocean trenches 7.2.4. Transforming faults 7.2.5. Formation of mountain ranges 7.3. The Wilson cycle 7.4. Rock deformation 7.4.1. Folds 7.4.2. Faults 7.4.3. Joints 7.4.4. Mixed structures 7.5. Bibliography 8. Ecosystems 8.1. Ecosystem structure 8.1.1. Types of ecosystems 8.1.1.1. Aquatic ecosystems 8.1.1.2. Terrestrial ecosystems 8.1.1.2.1. Urban ecosystems 8.2. Components of the ecosystem: community and biotope 8.2.1. Biotope 8.2.2. Biocenosis or community 8.3. Habitat and ecological niche 8.4. Limiting factors and adaptations 8.5. Tolerance limit 8.6. Trophic levels 8.7. Trophic relationships: chains and networks 8.8. Ecological pyramids 8.9. Self-regulation of the ecosystem, the population and the community 8.9.1. Intra and interspecific relationships 8.10. Matter cycle and energy flow 8.11. Biogeochemical cycles 8.11.1. Carbon cycle 8.11.2. Nitrogen cycle 8.11.3. Phosphorus cycle 8.12. Ecological successions 8.13. Bibliography 9. Resources and environmental impacts 9.1. Human activity and the environment 9.2. Natural resources and their types 9.3. Environmental impacts 9.3.1. Pollution of the atmosphere 9.3.1.1. Air pollutants 9.3.1.2. Acid rain 9.3.1.3. The smog 9.3.1.4. Ozone layer hole 9.3.1.5. Increased greenhouse effect 9.3.1.6. Climate change 9.3.2. Noise pollution 9.3.3. Light pollution 9.3.4. Water contamination 9.3.4.1. Water pollutants 9.3.4.2. Water eutrophication 9.3.4.3. Aquifer reduction 9.4. Soil 9.4.1. Soil contamination 9.5. Main environmental problems of Aragon 9.6. Overpopulation and its consequences 9.7. Waste and its management 9.8. Bibliography and student work « Previous \| Next » 7.2.1. Lithospheric plates Lithospheric plates The lithosphere is formed by the top of the mantle and the crust oceanic and continental, so that distinguish between oceanic lithosphere and continental lithosphere. The lithosphere is fragmented into a series of rigid and stable lithospheric plates that are located on a zone of low speed of seismic waves (formerly asthenosphere), of plastic behavior, which favors their displacement caused by convection currents. According to the type of crust that compose it, several types of lithospheric plates are distinguished: Oceanic plates, formed solely by oceanic crust, such as the Nazca plate or the Pacific plate. Continental plates, formed exclusively by continental crust, like the Arabian plate. Mixed plates, formed by continental crust and oceanic crust, such as the Euriasian plate, the South American plate and most of the plates. By English: Traducido por Mario Fuente Cid en Inkscape Free SoftwareEspañol: Traducido porción Mario Fuente Cid en Inkscape Software Libre [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons At the plate edges there are relative movements between the plates. These edges can be of three types: Divergent or constructive edges. The plates separate and anoceanic lithosphere is generated. They are found in the oceanic ridges, through which molten material comes out from the interior of the Earth to form the oceanic crust. Converging or destructive edges. There is a collision between the two plates. The oceanic lithosphere is destroyed in the subduction zones, where the denser plate is introduced under the lighter one and follows the downward convective current. Due to the tension that accumulates in these areas, earthquakes are frequent. Volcanoes are formed, island arches, and mountain ranges are also generated. Passive edges. Lateral movements occur between the plates, without separation or collision between them. It coincides with the transform faults. There are often earthquakes in these areas, such as the San Andreas fault near San Francisco. Curiosity: Latest earthquakes produced in the world. Curiosity: Latest earthquakes in Spain. Video: Plate Boundaries & Tectonic plates (Educational). Game: Identify the tectonic plates on the map. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution Share Alike License 4.0 « Previous \| Next » You can ask, comment, contribute, get in touch with other users in the forum of this course. 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Lithospheric plates