shake it up with plate tectonics

Just to let you know, the first picture is a dinner plate. The second is a picture of the Earth's plates. Whoever came here to shop for plates or to figure out how to use them, go away unless you wanna learn about Plate Tectonics! And no, this does not mean that the Earth sits down every day to stop for a meal using plates. Wait, does it? Oh well. Enjoy! :)

Was Earth always the way we know it now? Are there a lot of hidden elements of the Earth that are not easy to see yet play a vital role in its cycle of life? In this blog, you will find out many cool and interesting facts about Earth you may not have known along with awesome videos and amazing information and pictures. Enjoy!

So, how was Earth made exactly? (Before you get started reading this, we wanted to let you know that if you hate reading, don't waste your time reading this when you can watch the movie on how the Earth was made at the links below). It all started 4.5 billion years ago when two meteors crashed. The Earth was only an ocean of molten then, but a half a billion years later, 90% of the Earth's surface was ocean. It was still super hot with a temperature of 200 degrees F. 2.5 billion years ago was when the first big lands appeared, in other words, our continents. The first oxygen appeared and life was evolving as you know it. 1.5 billion years later, Pangaea was born. Sadly, when something is created, it eventually falls. The first major ice age was 700 million years ago, when the earth was covered in a mile deep layer of ice, driving almost all organisms to extinction. However, the ice age was over by 650 million years ago when the volcanoes started erupting splitting Pangaea apart and by 500 million years ago, life exploded and modern animals had arrived. 400 million years ago was when the ozone layer formed. 300 million years ago is when the earth was occupied by large plants for the first time, huge insects, and the earth was close to the modern biosphere, but of course, the plants and animals had to go extinct yet again, this time being the biggest mass extinction on Earth. 95% of Earth's species were driven to extinction because of eruptions and poisonous gases. Perhaps the most well known age of all this time is the age of the dinosaurs, lasting from 230 to 65 million years ago. The next 35 million years are filled with overactive volcanism and 500% increased CO2 levels, but this isn't what killed the dinosaurs. 65 million years ago was the extinction of the most incredible creatures "seen" today. It was because of a giant meteor that just had to crash into the earth that they aren't part of our modern lives today. It was also because of this that 70% of the species inhabiting the world died with the dinosaurs. Well what about our furry friends today, the mammals? Of course, they come to Earth way before the modern humans. They took their first steps on Earth 55 million years ago. Present day landscapes were also created then. The last few million years up to today were filled with ice ages, our modern ancestors, and the return of warm weather. So what will happen next? You can learn more while exploring this blog. So what are you waiting for, go ahead and enjoy!

Earth did not always have the continents in the places they are now. In fact, they were joined together millions of years ago as one super continent. The forces that moved these huge continents together were plate tectonics. In this section, you will learn more about Pangaea, plate tectonics, plates, and different types of boundaries where volcanoes, earthquakes, or mountains are made.

An awesome Pangaea website!

Why did scientists think that Pangaea had once formed? Just like you have to have some evidence to back up a theory, the scientists found that the geographical features of the continents matched each other in certain places so the pieced them together and got one super continent! They also found that fossils of ancient animals that were spread on different continents. These organisms could not have jumped from one continent to another, so once again, scientists had a smoking gun to Pangaea. Check out the links bellow to find more about Pangaea.

What are plates? Are they used as something to place food on, or are they pieces of Earth's crust that move around creating volcanoes, mountains, and earthquakes? The type of plates that play a major role in Earths life are the pieces of Earth's crust. These cover the Earth like jigsaw pieces. Plates move around creating mountains, volcanoes, and earthquakes. Mountains are made when two plates collide and slide over each other, just like if you bend a piece of paper, it goes up. Earthquakes are created when two plates rub past each other, shaking the crust above. Volcanoes are formed when two plates come together, but sub-duct because one plate is denser than the other. The plate that sub-ducts gets pushed into the mantle creating a Volcano. As you will read on, you will learn that plates play a vital role in the cycle of the Earth.

Plate Tectonics is the theory that parts of the Earth's crust or plates move apart or together causing the continents to separate or move together or create the Continental Drift. The boundaries where they meet or move apart are called Convergent and Divergent. This is how the continents were once a big super continent called Pangaea. The plates on earth move because of something called a convection current. A convection current is a current that is caused by the heat rising and cooling in the Earths second layer or mantel. The lava (molten rock) that makes the mantel produces heat which rises and cools causing a current or cycle. Because of convection currents, plates move about 1 cm per year. Plate tectonics create Pangaea, earthquakes, mountains, volcanoes, and geysers.

Have you heard the words convergent and divergent boundaries before and wondered what they were? So tell me, what did you guess? Lets make this clear; If you guessed that they're plate boundaries where 2 plates move apart(divergent boundary) or 2 plates move together (convergent boundary) then you're correct, but any other answers are all wrong! Did you know that divergent boundaries are what made the mid-ocean ridge or that convergent boundaries are what make volcanoes and a lot of times cause earthquakes? In fact, because of convergent boundaries, the "Ring of Fire" was created. If you want to learn more about the "Ring of Fire", read more of our blog! So what are you waiting for, go ahead, go read!!!!!!!!!!

Ever wonder what's on the inner part of Earth you cant really see? Well, the inner part of Earth is made up of different types of layers. If you look below, you will see a single link. Click on it if you want to see a video on the layers of the Earth. The layers of the Earth are what makes up it's center. There are three main levels which are the crust (the layer of basalt or granite that covers the Earth on top, the mantle (the next level indward towards the center of the Earth), and the core (the center part of the earth). Be sure to watch the video because it explains the layers of the Earth and what they do in more detail. (Watch it! It's really interesting!) :)

So what are the most well-known and visited places or major geological features in California? Well here are a few: Lassen volcano, Mammoth Mountain, Mt. Whitney, Mt. Shasta, and the St. Andres fault. Their are also two major mountain ranges, the Sierra Nevada's and the Coast ranges. click on the link bellow to find out more about California's main geological features.

"What chain of mountains is the longest?" Some people might say the Rockies. Some people might say the Himalayas. Not to burst your bubbles, but you are wrong. Currently, the longest chain of mountains on Earth is the Mid-Ocean Ridge. Its called 'Mid-Ocean' because it is literally situated in the ocean. The Mid-Ocean Ridge was created in the Ocean beacause a huge crack in the ocean crust spewed out lava that cooled when it reached water. These spews of molten rock kept piling up on top of each other and cooling and formed a long chain of mountains. We have proof of this because the rock at the sides of the mountain chain is older then the rock in the center. This proves that new molten rock spewed out of the crack, pushing the other rock aside. Two other pieces of proof we have are the pillowescue shaped rocks near the ridge which can only form near lava and a theory called Magnetic Striping. Learn more about Mid-Ocean ridges by watching the video bellow.

Here is the moment you have all been waiting for! Will Earth have a future??? Do you really wanna know?? Are you sure you wanna know??? Too bad if you don't! :) Scientists predict that no matter how bad Global Warming gets (you heard me, the big GW) there will be a new ice age, it will just take longer to come. OF course, there will also be a new Pangaea and there will be more mass extinctions to come. Oh ya, and don't forget about the land that will be destroyed by the creation of mountains! But don't worry. If the scientists are right, this won't be for a while. Sadly, our Earth, our only home(at least for now) will be destroyed or at least destroyed to humans. All the oceans will be stripped away , the Earth becoming one big desert or a "dead planet", and Earth will be unfit for humans. All we will have left to depend on to find a new home is technoligy. Who ever thought that the time would come for this to happen?? We sure didn't. That only shopws that we should care for a planet and nuture it while it lasts. It is the least we can do for the life of luxury we have been living! So go on, go help the Earth!