Plate Tectonics and environment geology, minerals and rock, ecology and geology

Thomas chinnappan
geologist
keeranur, pudukkottai, tamilnadu, india.

1. Plate Tectonics and environment geology;Minerals and rocks;Ecology and geology BY: THOMAS CHINNAPPAN . A , M.SC.APPLIED GEOLOGY, PERIYAR UNIVERSITY, SALEM.

2. Plate Tectonics: Plate tectonics is the scientific theory that considers the Earth's lithosphere to comprise a number of large tectonic plates which have been slowly moving since about 3.4 billion years ago. Earth's lithosphere, which is the rigid outermost shell of a planet (the crust and upper mantle), is broken into seven or eight major plates and many minor plates.

3. Where the plates meet, their relative motion determines the type of boundary:Convergent , Divergant , transform fault boundry.

4. Tectonic plates are able to move because Earth's lithosphere has greater mechanical strength than the underlying asthenosphere. Lateral density variations in the mantle result in convection; that is, the slow creeping motion of Earth's solid mantle. Plate movement is thought to be driven by a combination of the motion of the seafloor away from spreading ridges due to variations in topography and density changes in the crust

5. Types of plate boundaries : In plate tectonics, a divergent boundary or divergent plate boundary is a linear feature that exists between two tectonic plates that are moving away from each other. Divergent boundaries within continents initially produce rifts, which eventually become rift valleys. Eg: Mid oceanic ridge,sea floorspreading. 1.Divergent Boundry :

6. 2.Convergent Boundry: A convergent boundary (also known as a destructive boundary) is an area on Earth where two or more lithospheric plates collide. One plate eventually slides beneath the other, a process known as subduction. Eg: The collision between the Eurasian Plate and the Indian Plate that is forming the Himalayas.

7. 3.Transform fault boundry : A transform fault or transform boundary, sometimes called a strike-slip boundary, is a fault along a plate boundary where the motion is predominantly horizontal. It ends abruptly where it connects to another plate boundary, either another transform, a spreading ridge, or a subduction zone.Eg:San Andreas fault california

8. How does plate tectonics affect the environment? The movement of the plates also causes volcanoes and mountains to form and these can also contribute to a change in climate. Large mountain chains can influence the circulation of air around the globe, and consequently influence the climate. For example, warm air may be deflected to cooler regions by mountains.

9. A mineral is a naturally occurring substance with distinctive chemical and physical properties, composition and atomic structure. Rocks are generally made up of two of more minerals, mixed up through geological processes. Minerals and Rocks :

10. Weathering Environments As rocks and minerals become exposed at its surface, the weathering process changes them through exposure to air, water, ice, and life. Weathering is often accompanied by erosion, or the transportation of weathered materials by flowing water, wind, ice, and gravity. Mining process Environmental effects of mining can occur at local, regional, and global scales through direct and indirect mining practices. The effects can result in erosion, sinkholes, loss of biodiversity, or the contamination of soil, groundwater, and surface water by the chemicals emitted from mining processes. How does the environment influence the changes in rocks and minerals:

11. Rainfall and temperature can affect the rate in which rocks weather. High temperatures and greater rainfall increase the rate of chemical weathering. Rocks in tropical regions exposed to abundant rainfall and hot temperatures weather much faster than similar rocks residing in cold, dry regions Environmental factors that affect the change condition of rocks :

12. Geology is an earth science that studies everything that makes up the planet, including it's physical (liquid or solid) constituents. Ecology is the study of the interactions among earth's life (the organisms living on the planet), as well as how they mingle in their natural habitats or environment. There are many different ways to study ecology. Some types are landscape ecology, population ecology, and behavioral ecology. Difference between Ecology andGeology :

13. the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere level. Ecology overlaps with the closely related sciences of biogeography, evolutionary biology, genetics, ethology, and natural history. There are many different ways to study ecology. Some types are landscape ecology, population ecology, and behavioral ecology.

14. Thankyou