Plate Tectonics Theory
Plate tectonics theory explains that the Earth's lithosphere is divided into large rigid plates that move relative to each other over the asthenosphere. These plates are constantly in motion, driven by convection currents in the mantle. The movement of plates creates earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountain formation.
Real World
Alfred Wegener proposed continental drift in 1912, noting how South America and Africa's coastlines fit together like jigsaw pieces, but it wasn't until the 1960s that seafloor spreading evidence finally convinced the scientific community.
Exam Focus
When explaining plate movement, always link the driving mechanism (convection currents) to the surface outcome (earthquakes, volcanoes).
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