Plate Tectonics Web-Quest

PartI: Earths Structure. Use the following link to find these answers:
http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/structure.htm l
1. Label the layers of Earth in the diagram below.
2. The lithosphere is made up of the Crust and a tiny bit of the Upper Mantle
3. The plates of the lithosphere move or float! on this hot" malleable soli roc!
#one in the upper mantle" directly underneath the lithosphere. This is known as the
"sthenosphere
#. The layer of Earth that is the only li$uid layer is the $uter Core
Part II. Plate Tectonics. Use the following link to find these answers:
http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/drift.htm l
A B
1. True or %alse& 'mage ( depicts what Earth looks like today. circle the correctanswer!
%alse
1
st
Layer: Crust
2
nd
Layer: Mantle
3
rd
Layer: Mantle
4
th
Layer: Outer Core
5
th
Layer: Inner Core
The Crust and Mantels
combined are !hat is called
"arth#s Interior because they#re
the "arth#s most outer layers$
)ame ******************************** +ate *********** ,eriod ****
-..hat did Earth look like -/0 million years ago& The continents of Earth were clustered
together in formation that a scientist named Pan&ea. The scientist that named 1,angaea2
was a 3erman scientist by the name of "l're We&ener. 4e theori#ed that 1,angaea5
split apart and the different landmasses" or continents" drifted to their current locations on
the globe. .egener6s theories of plate movement became the basis for the development
of the theory of Plate Tectonics.
7. 8rder the images of Earth6s plates in order from oldest or earliest 1! to most recent /!.
Part III. Plates an (ounaries. Use the following link to find these answers:
http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/plate.htm l
1. )ame the missing tectonic plates in the blanks on the image below.
A%rican
-. The place where the two plates meet is called a bounar). 9oundaries have different names
depending on how the two plates are moving in relationship to each other.
(. 'f two plates are pushing towards each other it is called a Con*er&ent (ounar).
9. 'f two plates are moving apart from each other it is called a +i*er&ent (ounar).
2 4 1 3 5
North American
Pacifc
Eurasion Plate
African Plate
Antarctic Plate
Autralian
South American
)ame ******************************** +ate *********** ,eriod ****
:. 'f two plates are sliding past each other it is a called a Trans'or, (ounar).
7. Label the type of boundary depicted in each image below.
;. ,lates and 9oundaries :hallenge. %ollow directions for the challenge. <ecord your results
below:
,art '. )umber of correctly placed plates = -.
,art ''. )umber of boundary types correctly labeled = 2
Part I/. Slip0 Slie0 an Collie. Use the following link to find these answers:
http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/slip.htm l
1. (t con*er&ent bounaries" tectonic plates collie with each other. The events that occur
at these boundaries are linked to the types of plates oceanic or Continental! that are
interacting.
Subuction 1ones an /olcanoes
(t some convergent boundaries" an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate.
8ceanic crust tends to be enser and thinner than continental crust" so the denser
oceanic crust gets bent and pulled under" or subucte" beneath the lighter and thicker
continental crust. This forms what is called a subuction 2one. (s the oceanic crust sinks"
a deep oceanic Trench" or valley" is formed at the edge of the continent. The crust
continues to be forced deeper into the earth" where high heat and pressure cause trapped
water and other gasses to be released from it. This" in turn" makes the base of the crust
melt" forming Ma&,a. The magma formed at a subduction #one rises up toward the
earth>s surface and builds up in magma chambers" where it feeds and creates /olcanos
on the overriding plate. .hen this magma finds its way to
Transform Boundary Dier!ent Boundary "oner!ent
Boundary
)ame ******************************** +ate *********** ,eriod ****
the surface through a vent in the crust" the volcano erupts" e?pelling 3a*a and "sh. (n
e?ample of this is the band of active volcanoes that encircle the ,acific 8cean" often
referred to as the <ing of %ire.
<oll your mouse over the image to find the definitions of the words below:
@ubduction Aone B The area where one plate is being pulled under the edge of another
Cagma D Molten roc!0 &asses0 an soli cr)stals an ,inerals
Trench D " steep-sie epression in the ocean 'loor
Eolcano D " *ent in the Earths sur'ace throu&h 4hich ,a&,a an &asses erupt
Eolcanic (rc D " arc-shape chain o' *olcanos 'or,e abo*e a subuction 2one
%ill in the type of crust converging in the image below.
=
( subduction #one is also generated when two oceanic plates collide F the older plate is
forced under the )oun&er one" and it leads to the formation of chains of volcanic islands
known as islan arcs.
Collision 1ones an Mountains
.hat happens when two continental plates collide& 9ecause the rock making up
continental plates is generally lighter and less dense than oceanic rock" it is too light to get
pulled under the earth and turned into magma. 'nstead" a collision between two continental
plates crunches and folds the rock at the boundary" lifting it up and leading to the formation
of ,ountains .
$ceanic Crust
Continental Crust
)ame ******************************** +ate *********** ,eriod ****
%ill in the type of crust converging in the image below.
<oll your mouse over the image to find the definitions of the words below:
:ontinental :rust D the Earths crust that ,a!es up the continent
Countain D a hi&h0 lar&e ,ass o' Earth an roc! that rise abo*e the Earths sur'ace
4ith steep or slopin& sies
-. (t i*er&ent bounaries" tectonic plates are moving a4a) from each other. 8ne result of
huge masses of crust moving apart is sea-'loor spreading. This occurs when two plates
made of oceanic crust pull apart. ( crack in the ocean floor appears and then magma
oo#es up from the mantle to fill in the space between the plates" forming a raised ridge
called a ,i-ocean ri&e. The magma also spreads outward" forming ne4 ocean floor and
ne4 oceanic crust.
.hen two continental plates diverge" a valleyBlike rift develops. This ri't is a dropped #one
where the plates are pulling apart. (s the crust widens and thins" valleys form in and
around the area" as do *olcanoes" which may become increasingly active. Early in the rift
formation" streams and rivers flow into the low valleys and long" narrow lakes can be
created. Eventually" the widening crust along the divergent boundary may become thin
enough that a piece of the continent breaks off" forming a new tectonic plate.
)ame ******************************** +ate *********** ,eriod ****
3. (t trans'or, bounaries" tectonic plates are not moving directly toward or directly away
from each other. 'nstead" two tectonic plates &rin past each other in a hori#ontal
direction. This kind of boundary results in a 'ault. ( fault is a crack or 'racture
in the earth>s crust that is associated with this movement.
Transform boundaries and the resulting faults produce many earth5ua!es because edges
of tectonic plates are Gagged rather than s,ooth. (s the plates grind past each other" the
Gagged edges strike each other" catch" and stick" 5locking5 the plates in place for a time.
9ecause the plates are locked together without moving" a lot of
stress builds up at the fault line. This stress is released in $uick bursts when the plates
suddenly slip into new positions. The sudden movement is what we feel as the shaking
and trembling of an earth$uake.
The motion of the plates at a transform boundary has given this type of fault another name"
a stri!e-slip 'ault. The bestBstudied strikeBslip fault is the @an (ndreas %ault in Cali'ornia.
;. :omplete the ,late 'nteractions :hallenge and Test @kills $uestions.
Cy score for ,late 'nteractions :hallenge = 10 out of 10
Cy score for Test @kills $uestions = -/ out of 70 or H7 I
)ame ******************************** +ate *********** ,eriod ****
Part /. Questions )ou shoul be able to ans4er no4 that )ou co,plete this 4eb5uest.
)ote B you may go back to the website and review to assist in answering the
following $uestions.
:onvergent 9oundary
ocean D continental!
:onvergent 9oundary
ocean D ocean!
:onvergent 9oundary
continental D continental!
1. +eepBocean trench and
crust are created by convergent boundaries
of ocean and continental crust.
-. +eepBocean trench"
'sland arcs" and volcanoes are created by
convergent boundaries of ocean and ocean
crust.
7. Countain ranges are created by
convergent boundaries of continental and
continental crust.
;. (nother type of boundary neither creates nor
consumes crust. This type of boundary is called a
Transformed boundary because two plates move
against each other" building up tension" then
release the tension is a sudden Gerk of land called
a fault.
)ame ******************************** +ate *********** ,eriod ****
;. :ircle the correct type of boundary for each descriptionbelow:
(. Theboundarywheretwoplatesmeetandtrenchesareformed.
+i*er&ent Con*er&ent Trans'or,
9. Theplatesmoveawayfromeachotherallowingmagmatocreatenewoceancrust.
+i*er&ent Con*er&ent Trans'or,
:. Theplatesmoveinoppositedirectionsbuildinguptensionuntiltheyslipcausing
earth$uakes.
+i*er&ent Con*er&ent Trans'or,
/. Label each type of boundary as either: +i*er&ent0 Con*er&ent0 or Trans'or, (ounar):
hh
(. :onvergent
9. Transform
hh
:. +ivergent
The end. ,lease take a minute and look over your webB$uest to make sure you answered
all $uestions and completed all tasks. Cake sure your name is on the front and turn it in.