Geography of Canada

1
Plate Tectonics

• Geography of Canada

2
Continental Drift

• Ever notice that South America and Africa look
  like they would fit together like puzzle pieces?
• German scientist Alfred Wegener suggested
  continental drift was the only explanation for
  this

3
Continental Drift

• Continental drift is the theory that all of the
  earths landmasses are in constant motion
• About 300 million years ago they all collided to
  form a supercontinent called Pangaea
• About 200 million years ago, Pangaea broke apart,
  and the pieces drifted into their current
  position.

4
Pangaea
5
Plate Tectonics - Continental Drift
6
Plate Tectonics - Continental Drift
THE CONTINENTS TODAY
7
Plate Tectonics - Continental Drift
PROOF!
8
Plate Tectonics

• Plate Tectonics is the theory that helps explain
  most geologic processes
• Earthquakes
• Mountains
• Volcanoes
• The theory states that the earths outer shell is
  made up of about 20 plates moving over a layer of
  hot rock hundreds of kilometres below the earths
  surface
• This hot rock moves like slow-moving plastic

9
Plate Tectonics Map
10
Plate Tectonics Processes
11
Plate Tectonics Separating
12
Plate Tectonics Separating
13
Plate Tectonics Separating
14
Plate Tectonics Separating
ASH
CRATER
LAVA
SIDE VENT
CRUST
MAGMA CHAMBER
15
Plate Tectonics Colliding
16
Plate Tectonics Colliding
17
Plate Tectonics Sliding
18
Plate Tectonics Sliding
19
Plate Tectonics Sliding

• Richter Scale
• assigns a single number to quantify the amount
  of seismic energy
• released by an earthquake

• Less than 3.5 Generally not felt, but
  recorded.
• 3.5-5.4 Often felt, but rarely causes
  damage.
• Under 6.0 At most slight damage to
  well-designed buildings.
• 6.1-6.9 Can be destructive in areas up
  to about 100 kilometers across.
• 7.0-7.9 Major earthquake. Can cause
  serious damage over larger areas.
• 8 or greater Great earthquake. Can cause
  serious damage in areas several hundred
  kilometers across.

20
Earths Interior
HYDROSPHERE
ATMOSPHERE
Air
Water

• Crust
• - 8-64 km thick
• - cold fragile
• Granite and
• Basalt

Land
LITHOSPHERE

• Mantle
• - 1800 km thick
• - hot molten
• Magnesium
• and Silicon

• Outer Core
• - 2000 km thick
• - 3000 to 4000C
• liquid Nickel
• and Iron

• Inner Core
• - 1400 km thick
• - 5000 to 6000C
• solid Nickel
• and Iron

21
Rock Cycle
MAGMA
Cools and hardens
Heats and melts
IGNEOUS
METAMORPHIC
Weathers, erodes, and deposits
Stresses or heats
SEDIMENTARY
22
Canadas Geologic History

• Precambrian Era (4,600 millions to 570 million
  years ago)

Vulcanism
Fault
Ancient Sea
Igneous Rock
23
Canadas Geologic History

• Paleozoic Era (570 million to 245 million years
  ago)

Erosion
Erosion
Sediments
Sediments
Igneous Rock
24
Canadas Geologic History

• Mesozoic Era (245 millions to 66 millions years
  ago)

Erosion
Sediments
Sediments
Mountains Forming
Igneous Rock
25
Canadas Geologic History

• Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago to present)

Sedimentary Mountains Eroding
Mountains Forming
Sedimentary Plains
APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS
PACIFIC OCEAN
Igneous Rock
ROCKY MOUNTAINS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
INTERIOR PLAINS
CANADIAN SHIELD