plate tectonics

"You have heard of Pangea, the single landmass that broke apart some 175 million years ago to give us our current continents. What about its previous iterations, Rodinia or Columbia? These "supercontinents" from Earth's past provide evidence that continents repeatedly join and divorce. Scientists debate exactly what that next supercontinent will look like (and what to name it), but they agree that one is coming. In this book, Ross Mitchell, a geophysicist who researches the supercontinent cycle, offers a tour of past supercontinents; introduces readers to the phenomena that will lead to the next one; and presents the case for a particular future supercontinent, called Amasia, that will form over the North Pole. Mitchell uses compelling stories of fieldwork and accessible descriptions of current science to introduce readers to the nuances of plate tectonic theory. He considers convection deep in Earth's mantle to explain the future formation Amasia (defined by the joining of North America and Asia) and to show how this developing theory can explain other planetary mysteries. He ends the book by asking if humans will live to see Amasia. He recognizes the chances of our species surviving the necessary 50 to 200 million years are vanishingly small, but the exercise gives readers a chance to imagine this landscape and to understand mimics for the geological processes required, for example in the form of geoengineering. An internationally recognized authority on the supercontinent cycle, Mitchell offers a compelling and updated introduction that offers readers a front-row seat to an ongoing scientific debate"--.

Earth's lithosphere is the rigid, outer part of the planet, including the crust and upper mantle. Readers of this informative guide will learn about the types of rock, including igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary, that make up the lithosphere-and how they come together to form the rock cycle. They'll also see how the movement of tectonic plates inside Earth creates landforms and natural events. Helping to fulfill standards in the earth science curriculum, this book features vibrant photographs and in-depth sidebars.

"A nonfiction primer on all thing volcanos, including the different types of volcanos, the work of volcanologists, and more"--.

This book shows readers the awesome power of earthquakes.

It?s easy to think of Earth as one big rock beneath our feet. The reality is far more interesting! In this volume, young geologists will learn more about the makeup of our planet and the massive sheets of rock that move over its surface. Illustrations, photos, and intriguing hands-on projects will help them understand how Earth?s tectonic plates lead to features such as mountains and ocean trenches, as well as natural disasters such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Carefully leveled text and engaging full-color photos introduce early fluent readers to the science behind earthquakes, including where and why earthquakes happen and how to stay safe when the ground starts to shake. Includes activity, glossary, and index.

Presents information on earthquakes and their effect on planet Earth, giving specific examples from around the world.

Readers will be able to see how the earth's crust moves as plates, revealing the fierce activity of the layer below.

Describes the processes that create mountains over time. It examines plate movements along faults, volcanic activity, and other actions that have formed Earth's mountains over billions of years.

Explores earth movement and plate tectonics, and the possibility of earthquakes at the Cascadia Subduction Zone, an area between British Columbia and northern California.