What is the difference between the continental drift theory and plate tectonic theory?
Plate tectonics explains why Earth’s continents are moving; the theory of continental drift did not provide an explanation. Therefore, the theory of plate tectonics is more complete.
What is Isostasy theory?
Isostasy is a fundamental concept in the Geology. It is the idea that the lighter crust must be floating on the denser underlying mantle. The physical properties of the lithosphere (the rocky shell that forms Earth’s exterior) are affected by the way the mantle and crust respond to these perturbations.
What is the theory about continental drift?
Continental drift was a theory that explained how continents shift position on Earth’s surface. Set forth in 1912 by Alfred Wegener, a geophysicist and meteorologist, continental drift also explained why look-alike animal and plant fossils, and similar rock formations, are found on different continents.
What is an example of Isostasy?
Isostasy describes vertical movement of land to maintain a balanced crust. Greenland is an example of isostasy in action. The Greenland land mass is mostly below sea level because of the weight of the ice cap that covers the island. If the ice cap melted, the water would run off and raise sea level.
How did the concept of Isostasy come from India?
The study of isostasy in India was initiated as a result of the precise measurement of arc by triangulation in India by Col. George Everest, Surveyor General of Survey of India (SOl). During 1830 to 1847 Col. Thus the difference between the two measurements was found to be 5.236″ which comes to nearly 500 ft.
Who gave Theory of Isostasy?
geologist Clarence Dutton
What are isostatic adjustments?
Glacial isostatic adjustment is the ongoing movement of land once burdened by ice-age glaciers. Though the ice melted long ago, the land once under and around the ice is still rising and falling in reaction to its ice-age burden. This ongoing movement of land is called glacial isostatic adjustment.
How would you tell if an area is in isostatic equilibrium?
How would you tell if an area is in isostatic equilibrium? equilibrium between different height blocks. The force derives from the ‘pull’ of gravity upon lateral variations in the density (mass) of the lithospheric blocks. Thus, isostatic equilibrium is the same as gravitational equilibrium.
Are the Rocky Mountains in isostatic equilibrium?
The small free‐air gravity anomaly throughout the western United States indicates that most of the tectonic provinces, including the Colorado Plateau and the Rockies are in a state of isostatic equilibrium.
What is the densest part of Earth?
The inner core
What are the 4 layers of earth?
The structure of the earth is divided into four major components: the crust, the mantle, the outer core, and the inner core.
What are the two main types of water on Earth?
Distribution of the water on Earth
- Ocean water: 97.2 percent.
- Glaciers and other ice: 2.15 percent.
- Groundwater,: 0.61 percent.
- Fresh water lakes: 0.009 percent.
- Inland seas: 0.008 percent.
- Soil Moisture: 0.005 percent.
- Atmosphere: 0.001 percent.
- Rivers: 0.0001 percent.