1. Cause of Plate motion
Mantle Convection= Pushing and Pulling of plates
The forces lead to believe that moved the Earth's plates was
the Mantle Convection. The mantle convection is the driving
force behind plate tectonics. The convection in the mantle
causes the lithosphere plates to move. The Earth is solid, but the
interior is soft and flows like a stiff fluid. This flow is called the
mantle convection. This method transfers heat within the Earth.
The picture above shows the process of the convection mantle,
by Dr. Walter Kiefer. The different colors in the mantle mean a
variety of temperatures in this picture. The red and orange
represents heat. Which shows how the heat rises within the
Earth's mantle. The black part in the center of the picture
represents the core. The images show the formation of the
temperature within several years. The heat develops and rises at
the center of each image.
Mantle Plume/ Hot Spot Information
Is an abnormally hot rock within the Earth's mantle. The
mantle plumes can partly melt when they reach a flat depth. Due
to the lower pressure, when the mantle plume reaches the
shallow depth it begins to melt. When it melts it becomes
magma, the magma then flows through the Pacific Ocean which
helps supplies the volcanoes. Mantle plume is also known as the
“Hot Spot” because, after the melting it becomes the center of a
volcano.
What does Plate Tectonics
show us:
Why Hot Spots
Geologist believe there is a lot of lava, which is also known as

2. "plume," that lies under the Pacific plate. When the ocean floor
moves over the "hot spot" the lava creates new volcanoes that
migrate along the plate. Hots spots were believed to be formed
deep inside the earth's mantle. However, research shows that
they were probably formed at a shallower level, closer to the
melting point. Because of the circulation, it carries crustal plates
around the planet.
Geological Structures
• Folds: Folds happen from a pressure which creates a
“wavy” appearance to the pre-existing rock. Folds
happen when rocks bend due to a force. The rock
bends 2 different ways, Anticline, which bends
upward and Syncline which bends downward.
• Fault: A fault is a crack in the rock which rearranges the
rock layers. There are 2 types of faults. The normal
faults when the Earth's crust stretches out. Another
type of fault occurs where plates are sliding, shearing,
or grinding past each other. Faults happen when rocks
break due to a force. Normal faults are caused by
tension, reverse faults are caused by compression, and
strike-slip faults are caused by shear forces.
• movement of the lithospheric plates bends and fractures the
crust, creating folds and faults in the rocks.
World Volcanoes
• Basaltic: Most common form of magma, igneous rock that
can be formed from a volcanic eruption, comes from a
deep part of the mantle of the Earth. Basalt is a dark
and dense material with low viscosity.
• Andesitic: Igneous rock, formed from volcanic eruption,
Andesites come from a more shallow source.
• at certain types of plate boundary, magma and gases escape

3. at the Earth's surface, either explosively, as ash, or
effusively, as lava forming volcanoes.
Earthquakes
The focus is the geological fault that erupts where the
earthquake begins. Earthquake waves start at the focus.
• Shallow-Focus: The shallow-Focus is created only near the
surface of the Earth. (0-40 miles deep) Shallow-Focus
earthquakes are more common. They are also larger
which makes them more dangerous. They typically
begin near an area where plates are moving one
against another.
• Deep-Focus: Deep-Focus earthquakes are created deep
within the Earth,(40-400 miles deep). These
earthquakes are started when plated move under one
another.
Mountains
Mountains are formed a couple different ways by tectonic
activity. In a continent to continent collision, which is when two
continental plates are colliding. Which forms mountains because
of the land masses ramming together and rising up. When plates
are moving in a sideways and downward position, they can also
cause mountains.
Rift Valleys-Oceanic Ridges
Plates are moving the oceanic ridges apart, creating undersea
volcanoes that build an undersea mountain range. The mountain
ranges stretches all around the Earth, it also runs down the
Atlantic Ocean, where it is called the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.
Oceanic Ridges are also known as Spreading Center, because
this when 2 plates are moving apart. When volcanism occurs
there is often a Rift Valley in the area. The mountains on either
side of the Rift vale are "Mirror Images," it's getting older as
you go farther from the Rift valley. Oceanic Ridges are
spreading centers that create new oceanic crusts

4. This picture shows how volcanism can be found. Rift valleys are
all different, some with lots of activity and others with little
activity.
Oceanic trenches
Oceanic trenches are the deepest parts of the ocean. They are
also the lowest point on Earth. When 2 oceanic plates come
together, one is usually subjected under the other and in that
process a deep oceanic trench is formed.
Bibliography:
http://www.doc.govt.nz/conservation/land-and-
freshwater/land/geology/volcanoes/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthquake
http://hkss.cedd.gov.hk/hkss/eng/education/GS/eng/hkg/chap
ter2.htm?tab=3
http://askville.amazon.com/difference-basalt-
andesite/AnswerViewer.do?requestId=2582035
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volcano
http://wc.pima.edu/Bfiero/tucsonecology/setting/geology_faul
ts.htm
http://www.cliffsnotes.com/study_guide/Folding.topicArticle
Id-9605,articleId-9495.html
http://volcano.oregonstate.edu/vwdocs/vwlessons/hotspots.ht
ml
http://theory.uwinnipeg.ca/mod_tech/node195.html
http://library.thinkquest.org/03oct/01027/earthquakes.html
http://www.marinebio.net/marinescience/02ocean/mgtectoni
cs.htm