How does tectonic plates affect climate?
Over very long periods, plate tectonic processes cause continents to move to different positions on the Earth. For example, Britain was near to the equator during the Carboniferous period, around 300 million years ago, and the climate was warmer than it is today. The movement of the plates also causes volcanoes and mountains to form and these too can contribute to a change in climate. Large mountain chains can influence the circulation of air around the globe, and consequently influence the climate. For example, warm air may be deflected to cooler regions by mountains. Volcanoes affect the climate through the gases and particles thrown into the atmosphere during eruptions. The effect of the volcanic gases and dust may warm or cool the Earth’s surface, depending on how sunlight interacts with the volcanic material. During major explosive volcanic eruptions , large amounts of volcanic gas, aerosol droplets and ash are rele