The History of the Atom 5: The Modern Theory investigates the development of modern atomic theory. Greek philosophers Leucippus and Democritus first developed the concept of the atom in the 5th century B.C.E.
Therefore, based on the concepts of the continental drift and other developing ideas at the time, a general theory was developed, which is now known as the plate tectonics. Plate Tectonics. Plate tectonics is the theory explaining the motion of the outer crust or the lithosphere of earth. Lithosphere is divided into tectonics plates. Two main types of tectonics plates are the oceanic crust and continental crust. Oceanic crust is mainly composed of Silicon and magnesium, hence called SIMA.
At the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (and other places), material from the upper mantle rises through the faults between oceanic plates. It forms new crust as the plates move away from each other. The new crust then slowly moves away from the ridge. Seafloor spreading helps explain continental drift in plate tectonics. Earlier theories (e.g. by Alfred Wegener) of continental drift were that continents 'plowed' through the ocean. The modern idea is that the ocean floor itself moves and carries the continents with it as it expands from a mid-ocean ridge.