PlateTectonicsSE
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University of Wisconsin, Oshkosh *
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Course
106
Subject
Geology
Date
Jan 9, 2024
Type
docx
Pages
6
Uploaded by ConstablePorpoise1757
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“
Student Exploration: Plate Tectonics
”
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Directions: Follow the instructions to go through the simulation. Respond to the questions and prompts in the orange boxes.
Vocabulary:
asthenosphere, collision zone, convergent boundary, crust, divergent boundary, earthquake, lithosphere, mantle, plate, plate tectonics, subduction zone, transform boundary, volcano
Prior Knowledge Questions (Do these BEFORE using the Gizmo
.)
1.
Volcanoes
are openings in Earth’s crust
where lava, gas, and ash can erupt. Where are active volcanoes located? Volcanoes are located on convergent and divergent plates.
2.
An earthquake
is a violent shaking of the Earth’s surface. Where are earthquakes common? Earthquakes are common along tectonic plates, specifically transform and convergent plates. Gizmo Warm-up
Volcanoes, earthquakes, mountains, and other features of Earth’s surface
owe their origin to the movements of plates
: enormous, slowly-moving sections of Earth’s crust. At plate boundaries, plates collide, move apart, move under or over each other, or slide past one another. The theory of plate tectonics
describes how the plates move, interact, and change the physical landscape. The Plate Tectonics Gizmo shows a cross-section, or side view, of Earth. (Not to scale.) Above the cross-section is a bird’s-eye view of the same location.
1.
Turn on Show labels
. What are the layers of Earth that you can see? We can see the crust, lithosphere, asthenosphere, and hydrosphere. The lithosphere
is a layer of rigid rock that consists of the crust and the upper part of Earth’s mantle
. The asthenosphere
is a layer of the mantle that can deform like plastic.
2.
Turn on the Boundary name
, and click on each boundary. What four boundaries do you see? Transform, convergent collision, convergent subduction (more dense subducts under the less dense), and divergent. Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
Activity A: Sliding plates
Get the Gizmo ready
: ●
Select BOUNDARY A.
Question: What happens when plates slide past one another?
1.
Observe
: Boundary A is a transform boundary
. The arrows below the BOUNDARY A label will move the plates. Click the left arrow once to see how the plates move. How would you describe the motion of plates in a transform boundary?
The plates are colliding. This collision causes the left plate to slide backward.
2.
Sketch
: Draw a bird’s-eye view of the plate boundary before and after the plate motion. Draw an ✏
arrow to show which way the plate moved.
Before movement: After movement:
3.
Locate
: Turn on Show location
. Where on Earth can you find transform boundaries? (Note: You can refer to a world map or atlas for location names.)
Upper east of Africa in the Atlantic Ocean, western North America, the Middle East, the Caribbean, South Asia, northern Japan, the southern tip of South America, the South Pacific Ocean, and the South Atlantic Ocean. Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
Highlight these locations on the map below. To do this, click on the drawing and select ✏
Edit
. Select the scribble
from the line menu to sketch on the map
.
Activity B: Colliding continents
Get the Gizmo ready
: ●
Turn off the Boundary name
and Show location
.
●
Select BOUNDARY B.
Question: What happens when two continents collide?
1.
Observe
: Boundary B is an example of a convergent boundary
, where two plates are moving toward one another. When the two converging plates both contain continental crust, it is called a collision zone
. Click the left arrow four times to see how the plates move. How would you describe the motion of plates in a collision zone? The plate on the right is colliding with the plate on the left. This collision forms a mountain. 2.
Sketch
: Draw a side view of the plate boundary before and after the plate motion. Draw an arrow to show which way the plate moved.
Before movement:
After movement:
Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
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3.
Locate
: Turn on Show location
. Where on Earth can you find collision zones? (Note: You can refer
to a world map or atlas for location names.)
Northern Africa, Northern Middle East, upper South Asia, and Northeast Asia.
Highlight these locations on the map below. ✏
Activity C: Oceanic crust meets continental crust
Get the Gizmo ready
: ●
Turn off Boundary name
and Show location
.
●
Select BOUNDARY C.
Question: What happens when oceanic crust collides with continental crust?
1.
Observe
: Boundary C is another type of convergent boundary called a subduction zone
. Click the left arrow four times to see how the plates move. How would you describe the motion of plates in a subduction zone? The right plate subducts (slides) under the left plate. This subduction causes a volcano to erupt. 2.
Sketch
: Draw a side view of the plate boundary before and after the plate motion. Draw an arrow to show which way the plate moved.
Before movement: After movement:
Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
3.
Locate
: Turn on Show location
. Where on Earth can you find subduction zones? (Note: You can refer to a world map or atlas for location names.)
Oceania, South East Asia, western North America, western South America, the Caribbean, and the Pacific Ocean.
Highlight these locations on the map below. ✏
Activity D: Spreading plates
Get the Gizmo ready
: ●
Turn off Boundary name
and Show location
.
●
Select BOUNDARY D.
Question: How is the new crust formed?
1.
Observe
: Boundary D is a divergent boundary
. Click the right arrow four times to see how the plates move. How would you describe the motion of plates in a divergent boundary? The left and right plates are moving away from each other.
2.
Sketch
: Draw a side view of the plate boundary before and after the plate motion. Draw an arrow to show which way the plate moved.
Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
Before movement:
After movement: 3.
Locate
: Turn on Show location
. Where on Earth can you find divergent boundaries? (Note: You can refer to a world map or atlas for location names.)
The Red Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, the Southern Ocean, the Indian Ocean, South America, and the western United States. Highlight these locations on the map below. ✏
Reproduction for educational use only. Public sharing or posting prohibited. © 2020 ExploreLearning™ All rights reserved
Your preview ends here
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