The Tectonic Plates Are Moving

"This book explains modern plate tectonics in a non-technical manner; showing not only how it accounts for phenomena such as great earthquakes, tsunami, and volcanic eruptions, but also how it controls conditions of the Earth's surface, including global geography and climate. ... Beginning with the publication of a short article in Nature by Vine and Matthews, the book traces the development of plate tectonics during two generations of the theory. First-generation plate tectonics covers the exciting scientific revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, its heroes and villains. The second generation includes the rapid expansion in sonar, and seismic satellite technologies during the 1980s and 1990s that provided a truly global view of the plates and their motions, and an appreciation of the role of the plates in the Earth's 'system.' The final chapters bring us to the cutting edge of the science: describing the latest results friom studies using technologies such as seismic tomography and high-pressure physics to probe the deep interior."--Back cover.

Did you know that Earth's surface is always moving? The planet's crust is made of huge sheets of rock, and those Tectonic Plates Are On the Move Sing along as you explore What Shapes Our Earth This hardcover book comes with CD and online music access.

Plate tectonics is a revolutionary theory on a par with modern genetics. Yet, apart from the frequent use of clichés such as 'tectonic shift' by economists, journalists, and politicians, the science itself is rarely mentioned and poorly understood. This book explains modern plate tectonics in a non-technical manner, showing not only how it accounts for phenomena such as great earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions, but also how it controls conditions at the Earth's surface, including global geography and climate. The book presents the advances that have been made since the establishment of plate tectonics in the 1960s, highlighting, on the 50th anniversary of the theory, the contributions of a small number of scientists who have never been widely recognized for their discoveries. Beginning with the publication of a short article in Nature by Vine and Matthews, the book traces the development of plate tectonics through two generations of the theory. First generation plate tectonics covers the exciting scientific revolution of the 1960s and 1970s, its heroes and its villains. The second generation includes the rapid expansions in sonar, satellite, and seismic technologies during the 1980s and 1990s that provided a truly global view of the plates and their motions, and an appreciation of the role of the plates within the Earth 'system'. The final chapter bring us to the cutting edge of the science, and the latest results from studies using technologies such as seismic tomography and high-pressure mineral physics to probe the deep interior. Ultimately, the book leads to the startling conclusion that, without plate tectonics, the Earth would be as lifeless as Venus.

This is a discount Black and white version. Some images may be unclear, please see BCCampus website for the digital version.This book was born out of a 2014 meeting of earth science educators representing most of the universities and colleges in British Columbia, and nurtured by a widely shared frustration that many students are not thriving in courses because textbooks have become too expensive for them to buy. But the real inspiration comes from a fascination for the spectacular geology of western Canada and the many decades that the author spent exploring this region along with colleagues, students, family, and friends. My goal has been to provide an accessible and comprehensive guide to the important topics of geology, richly illustrated with examples from western Canada. Although this text is intended to complement a typical first-year course in physical geology, its contents could be applied to numerous other related courses.

This book provides an overview of the history of plate tectonics, including in-context definitions of the key terms. It explains how the forerunners of the theory and how scientists working at the key academic institutions competed and collaborated until the theory coalesced.

This book goes into great detail about the different layers of the Earth and how the shifting tectonic plates can cause natural disasters, such as earthquakes and tsunamis. In-depth information and stunning photographs reinforce the informative text.

This series offers a detailed, informative and lively discussion on four of the key areas of physical geography. Each book helps develop the knowledge of how specific features of the Earth are formed, their causes and effects, patterns and processes, and our study and understanding of them. The series aims not only to answer, but also to inspire questions about different environments and landscapes, and our relationships with some of the greatest forces of nature we experience on Earth. Photographs bring the effects of the subject vividly to life, while diagrams enhance the readers' practical understanding of the processes that have created the landscapes of the world in which we live today.

The ground beneath your feet is solid, right? After all, how could we build houses and bridges on land if it was moving all the time? Actually, the ground beneath us really is moving all the time! In Fault Lines and Tectonic Plates: Discover What Happens When the Earth’s Crust Moves, readers ages 9 through 12 learn what exactly is going on under the dirt. The earth's crust is moving constantly, but usually it’s moving too slowly for us to notice it. In Fault Lines and Tectonic Plates, readers learn about Pangea, the giant landmass that scientists believe existed long ago, and the tectonic plates that Pangea broke into, which we know as continents. And what happens when these slowly drifting continents bump up against each other along fault lines? Earthquakes, volcanoes, and tidal waves! Readers learn the geological reasons behind earthquakes and also practical ways of behaving in those types of natural disasters. In addition to earthquakes, tectonic plates create the landscape of our world over time. Mountains and trenches are the results of the slow movement of the earth’s crust. With science-minded projects such as a homemade earthquake “shake table” and edible tectonic boundaries, the complex and fascinating topic of plate tectonics is made accessible for kids to grasp, helping to raise their awareness about this amazing planet we live on. Links to online primary sources and videos make concepts clear and encourage kids to maintain a healthy curiosity in the topic. Guided reading levels and Lexile measurements place this title with appropriate audiences.