Evaluate how plate tectonics theory helps our understanding of the distribution of seismic and volcanic events.

Plate tectonics is a relatively new science. It’s partially explained in the sense that we still don’t know fully about how the plates came together, what they were before they were the seven continents we know today. We already know, or have a theory, about what our world was like a long time ago and so if we already know that the plates can pull and push against each other, then surely there must have been a different set up to the one we have now. There is a theory that we were once a supercontinent called Pangaea that began to break up around 200 million years ago. Using plate tectonics, we can explain, predict and see which type of seismic and volcanic events are related to plate tectonics, using more theories like Pangaea to explain them.
Covering our earth’s surface there are seven major plates. These plates cover the inside structure of our earth, which consists of our inner core, our outer core, the mantle and then the crust which is what the plates are made out of. Plate tectonics is the theory of these plates moving along the earth’s lithosphere. The lithosphere is in the upper mantle and the lower crust and is responsible for continental drift. This is also because of the convection current running underneath and pulling and pushing the plates apart and together, causing them to converge and destruct. There are two types of plates, oceanic and continental. Both of these plates are completely different and when faced with each other, both have different reactions depending on the type of plate margin.
Oceanic crust is younger, heavier and denser. It is made from Sima and subducts when colliding with a continental crust. Continental crust however is older but lighter, less dense and is made from Sial. This crust folds when met with oceanic