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Science 10 Lessons

The document covers Earth's internal structure and the Plate Tectonic Theory, explaining the four main layers of the Earth: the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core, each with distinct properties. It details how tectonic plates, which float on the asthenosphere, move due to convection currents, leading to geological events like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Additionally, it lists major and minor tectonic plates around the world, highlighting their locations and notable features.

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2 views3 pages

Science 10 Lessons

The document covers Earth's internal structure and the Plate Tectonic Theory, explaining the four main layers of the Earth: the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core, each with distinct properties. It details how tectonic plates, which float on the asthenosphere, move due to convection currents, leading to geological events like earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Additionally, it lists major and minor tectonic plates around the world, highlighting their locations and notable features.

Uploaded by

mohamadmamantal47
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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SCIENCE 10: LESSON 1 DATE: JUNE 16-18, 2025

EARTH’S INTERNAL STRUCTURE


The Earth may look solid and unmoving, but deep inside, it's full of activity! To understand why
the ground shakes, mountains rise, and volcanoes erupt, we first need to look inside our planet.
The Earth is made up of four main layers. Each layer has different properties and
compositions, which help us understand how the Earth works.

1. Crust
 The outermost and thinnest layer of the Earth.
 Composed mainly of oxygen (O), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), iron (Fe), calcium (Ca),
sodium (Na), potassium (K), and magnesium (Mg).
Two types:
o Continental crust – thicker, made mostly of granite
o Oceanic crust – thinner, denser, made mostly of basalt
 Thickness: 8 to 40 km

2. Mantle
 Located beneath the crust.
 Composed mostly of silicate rocks rich in magnesium and iron, such as peridotite.
 Divided into:
o Upper mantle – includes the rigid lithosphere and the softer asthenosphere
o Lower mantle – solid but capable of very slow flow
 Convection currents in the mantle drive the movement of tectonic plates.
 Thickness: About 2,900 km

3. Outer Core
 Made of liquid iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni).
 Responsible for creating the Earth’s magnetic field through its flowing movement.
 Temperature: Around 4,000°C to 6,000°C
 Thickness: About 2,250 km

4. Inner Core
 A solid ball due to immense pressure despite extremely high temperature.
 Composed mostly of solid iron (Fe) and nickel (Ni).
 Temperature: Up to 5,500°C
 Radius: About 1,300 km
SCIENCE 10: LESSON 2 DATE: JUNE 19-20, 2025
PLATE TECTONIC THEORY
The Plate Tectonic Theory explains how and why Earth’s surface is constantly moving.
According to this theory, the Earth's outer layer (called the lithosphere) is broken into large pieces
known as tectonic plates. These plates are like puzzle pieces that float on the asthenosphere, a
softer layer of the upper mantle.
These plates are always moving slowly—only a few centimeters per year—but their
movement is powerful enough to cause earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, mountain formation,
and ocean basin expansion.

History of the Theory


Before plate tectonics, scientists believed that continents were fixed. In 1912, Alfred Wegener
proposed the idea of continental drift—that continents once formed a single landmass called
Pangaea and slowly drifted apart.
His idea was initially rejected because he couldn’t explain how the continents moved. It wasn't
until the 1960s, with the discovery of seafloor spreading and mid-ocean ridges, that scientists
developed the Plate Tectonic Theory, combining ideas from geology, oceanography, and
geophysics.

Main Features of Plate Tectonic Theory


1. The Earth's lithosphere is divided into several tectonic plates.
2. These plates float on the semi-fluid asthenosphere.
3. Plates move due to convection currents in the mantle.
4. Plates interact at their boundaries, causing geological events.
5. Plate movement explains continental drift, seafloor spreading, and mountain formation.
15 TECTONIC PLATES AROUND THE WORLD
A. Major Tectonic Plates
No. Plate Name Location/Region Notable Features
1 Pacific Plate Pacific Ocean Largest plate; Ring of Fire
volcanoes
2 North American Plate North America, part of Atlantic Ocean Includes San Andreas Fault
3 South American Plate South America, Atlantic Ocean Forms the Andes Mountains
4 Eurasian Plate Europe, Asia, part of the Arctic Collides with Indian Plate
Ocean (Himalayas)
5 African Plate Africa, parts of the Atlantic and Indian Great Rift Valley
Oceans
6 Indo-Australian Plate Australia, India, surrounding ocean Causes uplift of Himalayas

7 Antarctic Plate Antarctica, Southern Ocean Surrounded by divergent


boundaries

B. Minor Tectonic Plates


No. Plate Name Location/Region Notable Features
8 Philippine Sea Plate East of the Philippines Causes earthquakes &
volcanoes in PH
9 Nazca Plate West of South America Subducts under South America;
Andes
10 Cocos Plate Off the west coast of Central Causes earthquakes in Central
America America
11 Caribbean Plate Caribbean Sea Forms volcanic islands

12 Scotia Plate Between South America and In a complex boundary zone


Antarctica
13 Arabian Plate Middle East region Colliding with Eurasian Plate

14 Juan de Fuca Plate Off the Pacific Northwest Small plate, very active
(USA, Canada)
15 Indian Plate South Asia Collides with Eurasian Plate
(Himalayas)

Summary

Plate Type Examples


Major Plates Pacific, North American, South American, Eurasian, African, Indo-Australian,
Antarctic
Minor Plates Philippine Sea, Nazca, Cocos, Caribbean, Arabian, Juan de Fuca, Scotia, Indian

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