Plate Tectonics

Plate tectonics are a very complicated subject that shape the planet, they can be difficult to understand and study, so any virtual model or simulation can help. Plate Tectonics is an application that allows users to perform various simulations of different earth crusts interacting with a changeable environment.

The appearance of Plate Tectonics is surprisingly impressive, the animation and effects are interesting to watch. Users can watch a plate sink under another, creating an ocean trench as well as volcanoes and disturbances. The various sliders and controls are easy to use and fun to play around with, no expertise is necessary and the application can just be amusing to tinker with.

There are an interesting array of options that can be configured to simulate different aspects of tectonics, yet the interface can still be improved. The zoom feature is a bit awkward to use and the application feels like it should be able to rotate the global view further, instead of being on a fixed point. This is more noticeable when you have two tectonic plates that are moving side to side from each other, being unable to move the camera is a bigger issue.

Plate Tectonics includes two distinct different modes, one for crust interaction and another for plate motion. Both modes allow users to play with the animations and see how the tectonics interact with the planets surface, which are fun to watch and actually provide a useful, educational and visual tool.

The application does include a few addition tools that are interactive in their use, placing them at different points in the simulation displays different results. A temperature gauge shows how the plates can produce heat, along with a density meter and a kilometer ruler to show the size of the different plates.

For those who are interested in geography or learning about a new subject, have a general interest in science, or those who actually study plate tectonics, the program is a useful tool. How advanced it really is, could be questioned, but, as for the design and its use, Plate Tectonics is a very well made application.