How is the theory of plate tectonics related to the radioactive decay of elements within Earth's interior?

How do hot spots and the plate tectonics theory account for the different ages of the Hawaiian Islands?

If Africa and Australia are moving apart at a rate of 4.4 centimeters per year, approximately how long will it take for the ocean between the two continents to increase by 1000 kilometers?

Describe the mechanisms of plate motion.

a. What evidence supported the hypothesis of continental drift? b. How did fossils provide evidence for continental drift? c. Deposits of coal have been found beneath the ice of Antarctica. But coal only forms in warm swamps. Use Wegener's hypothesis to explain how coal could be found so near to the South Pole.

Compare the plate motions in the three types of boundaries.

U.S. postal rates have steadily increased since $1932$ . Using data depicted in the table for the years $1932–2009$ , the cost in cents to mail a single letter can be modeled using a quadratic formula as follows: $C(t)=0.008446 t^{2}-0.08924 t+1.254$ where $t$ is the number of years since $1932$ . Source: U.S. Postal Service.

$$\begin{array}{llll}\text{Year} & \text{Cost} & \text{Year} & \text{Cost}\\ \hline{1932} & {3} & {1988} & {25} \\ \hline {1958} & {4} & {1991} & {29} \\ \hline {1963} & {5} & {1995} & {32} \\ \hline {1968} & {6} & {1999} & {33} \\ \hline {1971} & {8} & {2001} & {34}\\ \hline{1974} & {10} & {2002} & {37} \\ \hline {1975} & {13} & {2006} & {39} \\ \hline {1978} & {15} & {2007} & {41} \\ \hline {1981} & {18} & {2008} & {42} \\ \hline {1981} & {20} & {2009} & {44} \\ \hline{1985} & {22}\\\hline\end{array}$$

a. Find the predicted cost of mailing a letter in $1982$ and $2002$ and compare these estimates with the actual rates. b. Find the rate of change of the postage cost for the years $1982$ and $2002$ and interpret your results. c. Using the regression feature on a graphing calculator, find a cubic function that models this data, letting $t=0$ correspond to the year $1932.$ Then use your answer to find the rate of change of the postage cost for the years $1982$ and $2002$ . d. Discuss whether the quadratic or cubic function best describes the data. Do the answers from part b or from part c best describe the rate that postage was going up in the years $1982$ and $2002$ ? e. Explore other functions that could be used to model the data, using the various regression features on a graphing calculator, and discuss to what extent any of them are useful descriptions of the data.

List and describe the evidence for the plate tectonics theory.

a. What are the three types of plate boundaries? b. Describe the type of movement that occurs at each type of plate boundary. c. What is likely to occur at a plate boundary where oceanic crust collides with continental crust?

Infer What are the two general principles that determine whether the federal courts have jurisdiction over a case? Do you think these principles are broad enough? Why or why not?

A call option with a strike price of $50 on a stock selling at$55 costs $6.50. What are the call option’s intrinsic and time values?

Twenty-five percent of a circle is what fraction of a circle?

Juan is a salesman for L. L. Bowers, Inc. He has a choice of three compensation plans. Plan 1 pays $2500 per month. Plan 2 pays$2000 per month plus 17% commission. Plan 3 pays $1700 per month plus 25% commission. Graph the three plans and determine the best plan.

What actions of plate boundaries cause the destruction of the lithosphere?