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Plate tectonics
Plate tectonics is an earth sciences topic that attracts a good deal of interest, given that it a topic very often featured in popular science programmes on TV and radio. It is a subject that has strong visual appeal. In this 15-hour free course the coverage is self-contained, up to date and is written in a way that will be accessible to those with interest and motivation, all the more so for those who have some pre-existing scientific understanding.
Course learning outcomes
After studying this course, you should be able to:
- demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the theory of tectonic plates and the different forms of evidence (e.g. palaeontology, palaeomagnetism, continuity of structures etc.) that can be used to understand the movement of the lithospheric plates over geological time
- demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the mechanisms of crustal growth and transfer of heat at spreading ocean ridges
- demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the three main types of plate boundary (constructive, destructive and conservative) and how they interact at triple junctions
- demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the difference between relative and true plate motion
- demonstrate a knowledge and understanding of the driving and retarding forces that influence plate motion at constructive, destructive and conservative plate boundaries.
First Published: 09/08/2012
Updated: 16/03/2016
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+ The course content was both comprehensive and authoritative. The implications for climate change were of special interest.
- It obviously goes without saying that the coverage was greatly impeded by the loss of interactive content even online:
"This element is no longer supported and cannot be used."
Perhaps static images would compensate for their loss, e.g., I did locate figures that acted as replacements for 2 of the earlier figures, though that left far too many gaps, where extensive references were made to now non-existent content.