Question

plate tectonic theory fundamentally altered how geologists view the earth. the biggest difference in the new theory was that the earth?

Answer 1

The Plate Tectonic Theory fundamentally altered how geologists view the Earth by introducing the idea that the Earth's lithosphere is broken into tectonic plates that are in constant motion. Prior to this theory, it was generally believed that the continents and ocean basins were fixed in place.

The new theory provided an explanation for a wide range of geological phenomena, including earthquakes, volcanic activity, and the formation of mountain ranges, by attributing these events to the interactions between tectonic plates. This theory also explained the "jigsaw puzzle" fit of continents like South America and Africa, lending support to the concept of continental drift, which was a precursor to plate tectonics.

So, the biggest difference in the new theory was the idea that the Earth's surface is dynamic, not static, and is composed of plates that move and interact in complex ways. This revolutionized our understanding of Earth's geological history, the formation and distribution of natural resources, and the mechanisms behind natural disasters.

Answer 2

The plate tectonic theory posits that Earth's crust movement is due to slow motions within the mantle, leading to global geological transformation. This process serves as Earth's cooling mechanism, efficiently transferring internal heat to space. Although not alike in all planets due to compositional differences and constraints, efficient heat transfer is a universal planetary mechanism.

Step-by-step explanation:

The plate tectonic theory fundamentally revolutionized how geologists understand the Earth. According to this theory, large segments of Earth's crust move due to slow motions within the mantle. These motions result in significant geologic activities like the gradual 'drifting' of continents, formation of mountains, and other large-scale transformations.

The concept of plate tectonics operates similarly to key ideas in other scientific fields, such as evolution by natural selection in biology or gravity in the understanding of planetary orbits. Moreover, plate tectonics is essentially Earth's highly effective heat transportation method. It functions as a cooling system, transferring heat from the interior towards space.

Not all planets have the same heat transfer processes as Earth's plate tectonics due to differences in chemical composition and other constraints. However, the common goal in all planets is to efficiently shed internal heat.

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