Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Webquest Guide

Activity: Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics Webquest Name(s): Marcia Polius, Alredo Arritola, Ira Williams Use complete and thorough answers throughout this assignment— use a different color font for your answers . Feel free to use images to help explain! You may use your textbook, the suggested websites, or websites of your choice. If using other websites, please cite the link(s) at the end of your answer. Structure of Earth Visit the following site: Inside the Earth 1. Name the four layers of Earth as numbered in the diagram above. Indicate the average thickness and whether it is solid, liquid or both. Use any textbook or website to define the following: 2. Lithosphere - The outer layer is part of the earth. Diagram number Layer Average Thickness (miles) Solid, Liquid or Both 1 Crust 62.1371 Solid 2 Mantle 1801.976 Both 3 Outer core 3168.993 Liquid 4 Inner core 3963.105 Solid

3. Asthenosphere – The upper layer of the earth’s mantle. Go to the following link to answer the questions below : 4. There are different waves generated during earthquakes. Two of the waves are s and p waves. What is the relationship between the velocity (speed) of those waves and the temperature through which they travel? Which waves are transverse and which are longitudinal? The relationship between the velocity and temperature of the waves is that they can travel fast at the scale of kilometers. P-waves travel at 1 to 14 kilometers while S-waves travel at 1 to 8 kilometers. Temperature plays a role in the speed of the waves. S-waves are transverse waves while P-waves are longitudinal. 5. What is the epicenter of an earthquake? The location on the surface of the earth directly above where the earthquake starts. 6. What is the focus? The focus is the place inside Earth’s crust where an earthquake originates. 7. What scale is used in the U.S. to measure the strength of an earthquake? The Richter scale measures the amplitude. Continental Drift Use this site to answer the following questions: CONTINENTAL DRIFT - Paleontology and Geology Glossary 8. What does the Theory of Continental Drift state? - It states that parts of the Earth’s crust slowly drift atop a liquid core. 9. What is the name of the scientist that proposed the Theory of Continental Drift? - Alfred Wegener 10. What was Pangaea? Pangaea was all the continents as one landmass.

Use this hyperlink next: The Pangaea Theory 11. It has been proven that the Earth's present continents were once joined together as the supercontinent Pangaea. List 4 pieces of evidence that support this concept: a. Identical plants are found on different continents b. Coal deposits from America similar to deposits in Europe c. On a map the continents are able to fit together d. The Appalachian Mountains and the Atlas Mountains were part of the same range when Gondwana and Laurussia merged to become Pangaea. Convection Current Use the following site: Convection Currents 12. What are convection currents? The rising spread, and sinking of gas, liquid, or molten material caused by the application of heat. 13. In which of Earth’s layers do convection currents happen? Mantle 14. When convection currents flow in the mantle, they also move the Plates. Plate Tectonics Use this website: This Dynamic Earth--Contents [USGS] Click on the “Historical Perspective” icon on this website. 15. What is a “plate” in geological terms? In geological terms, a “plate” can be described as a large, rigid slab of solid rock.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

16. What does the Theory of Plate Tectonics state? The earth’s outermost layers are fragmented into about a dozen pieces of large and small plates that are moving relatives to one another. 17. What is the name of the theory that led to the development of the Theory of Plate Tectonics? Theory of continental drift. 18. Click the back arrow to return to the homepage. Click on the “Understanding Plate Motions” icon on this website. Plate Tectonics: Divergent boundaries Scroll down to: Divergent Boundaries. Finish the following sentence. 19. Divergent boundaries occur along spreading centers where plates are moving apart and new crust is created by magma pushing up from the mantle. Click on the picture titled ‘Mid-Atlantic Ridge’ 20. What type of plate boundary is this? Where is it located? The divergent plate boundary is located in the entire Atlantic Ocean from north to south. (Close this link and return to the previous one) Plate Tectonics: Convergent Boundaries Scroll down to: Convergent Boundaries. 21. What is the location where the sinking of a plate occurs is called? Subduction zone Plate boundary Type of interaction Example (Location) Divergent The plates pull away Mid- Atlantic Ridge Convergent One plates dives under another Peru- Chile Trench Transform The plates horizontally past each other San Andreas fault zone Plate Boundaries Interaction are unclear Mediterranean- Alpine region

22. The type of convergence -- called by some a very slow "collision" -- that takes place between plates depends on the kind of lithosphere involved. Convergence can occur between what types of plates? (list all possibilities) Convergence can occur between an oceanic and a largely continental plate, or between two largely oceanic plates, or between two largely continental plates. Scroll down to: Oceanic-continental convergence 23. Off the coast of South America along the Peru-Chile trench, the oceanic Nazca Plate is pushing into and being subducted under the continental part of the South American Plate, creating what? It’s creating Subduction. 24. Look at the diagram under the Oceanic-continental convergence information: Label the diagram. 1. Trench

2. Volcanic arc 3. Continental crust 4. Lithosphere 5. Asthenosphere 6. Lithosphere 7. Oceanic Crust Click on the Ring of Fire 25. What is the ring of fire? The ring of fire is a tectonic belt. Which are volcanic arcs and oceanic trenches partly encircling the Pacific Basin Form. 26. The West Coast of the United States has frequent volcanoes. Use the Ring of Fire to explain why. Use the space below the diagram for your explanation.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

Return to the previous link and scroll down to: Oceanic-Oceanic convergence 27. When two oceanic plates converge, one plate is usually subducted under the other. What is typically formed at this type of boundary? A trench is formed in the process.

Scroll down to: Continental-continental convergence 28. Which mountain range demonstrates one of the most visible and spectacular consequences of plate tectonics? The Himalayan mountain. 29. What happens when two continents meet head-on and neither is subducted? The crust tends to buckle and be pushed upward or sideways. 30. Label the diagram under the Continental-continental convergence information: (The blank at the top of the diagram is #1) 1. Mountain Range/High Plateau 2. Continental Crust 3. Lithosphere 4. Asthenosphere 5. Continental Crust

Plate Tectonics: Transform Boundaries Scroll down to Transform Boundaries 31. The zone between two plates sliding horizontally past one another is called a transform-fault boundary, or simply a transform boundary. 32. Why is this an earthquake-prone area? Explain what is happening in the crust in this region. They commonly offset the active spreading rigid that produces zigzag plate margins which can cause shallow earthquakes. It’s an earthquake area because it has formed many faults in California. It’s between the Pacific and North American tectonic plates.

Your preview ends here

Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version

Access to all documents
Unlimited textbook solutions
24/7 expert homework help

webquest assignment

Related Documents