Plate Tectonics Gizmo 2.14.12
Student Exploration: Plate Tectonics
Vocabulary: collisional boundary, 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? Active volcanoes are located by convergent boundaries.
2. An earthquake is a violent shaking of Earth’s surface. Where are earthquakes common?
Earthquakes are common by active fault lines, by transform boundaries.
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.
Vocabulary: collisional boundary, 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? Active volcanoes are located by convergent boundaries.
2. An earthquake is a violent shaking of Earth’s surface. Where are earthquakes common?
Earthquakes are common by active fault lines, by transform boundaries.
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.
Turn on Show labels.
1. What are the layers of Earth that you can see?
You can see the crust, lithosphere, and the mantle.
2. Turn on Boundary name, and click on each boundary. What four boundaries do you see?
You can see the Transform boundary, Convergent: collision, Convergent: subduction, and Divergent.
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.
3. 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.
How would you describe the motion of plates in a transform boundary?
Turn on Show labels.
1. What are the layers of Earth that you can see?
You can see the crust, lithosphere, and the mantle.
2. Turn on Boundary name, and click on each boundary. What four boundaries do you see?
You can see the Transform boundary, Convergent: collision, Convergent: subduction, and Divergent.
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.
3. 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.
How would you describe the motion of plates in a transform boundary?
4. Locate: Turn on Show location. Where on Earth can you find this type of boundary? (Note: You can refer to a world map or atlas for location names.)
Near the Juan de Fuca Plate, near the Caribbean Plate, on the Scotia Plate, above the African Plate, and on the Indian Plate. Observe: Boundary B is an example of a convergent boundary, where two plates are moving toward one another. When the two plates both contain continental crust, it is called a collision boundary. Click the left arrow four times to see how the plates move.
5. How would you describe the motion of plates in a collisional boundary?
The two plates come together and pushed the earth up.
6. 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.
Near the Juan de Fuca Plate, near the Caribbean Plate, on the Scotia Plate, above the African Plate, and on the Indian Plate. Observe: Boundary B is an example of a convergent boundary, where two plates are moving toward one another. When the two plates both contain continental crust, it is called a collision boundary. Click the left arrow four times to see how the plates move.
5. How would you describe the motion of plates in a collisional boundary?
The two plates come together and pushed the earth up.
6. 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.
5. Locate: Turn on Show location. Where on Earth can you find this type of boundary? (Note: You can refer to a world map or atlas for location names.)
You can find it on the Indian Plate and on the Eurasian Plate.
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.
6. How would you describe the motion of plates in a subduction zone?
The denser plate slides underneath the less dense plate.
7. 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.
You can find it on the Indian Plate and on the Eurasian Plate.
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.
6. How would you describe the motion of plates in a subduction zone?
The denser plate slides underneath the less dense plate.
7. 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.
8. Locate: Turn on Show location. Where on Earth can you find this type of boundary? (Note: You can refer to a world map or atlas for location names.)
On the Pacific Plate, South American Plate, Australian Plate, and Phillipean Plate.Observe: Boundary D is a divergent boundary Click the right arrow four times to see how the plates move.
9. How would you describe the motion of plates in a divergent boundary?
The plates pull apart from each other.
10. 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.
On the Pacific Plate, South American Plate, Australian Plate, and Phillipean Plate.Observe: Boundary D is a divergent boundary Click the right arrow four times to see how the plates move.
9. How would you describe the motion of plates in a divergent boundary?
The plates pull apart from each other.
10. 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.
11. Locate: Turn on Show location. Where on Earth can you find this type of boundary? (Note: You can refer to a world map or atlas for location names.)
On the Pacific Plate, South American Plate, African Plate, and Antarctic Plate.
Conclusion: Write a summary of the 4 types of plate boundaries, with descriptions. Describe in at least one sentence what would happen if the Earth's plates stopped moving.
There are four main types of plate boundaries on Earth. Divergent, Convergent: Collision, Convergent: Subduction, and Transform. Divergent plates pull away from each other, and magma rises, creating new crust. Seafloor spreading is caused. Divergent boundaries create Mid-Ocean Ridges, and Rift Valleys.
On the Pacific Plate, South American Plate, African Plate, and Antarctic Plate.
Conclusion: Write a summary of the 4 types of plate boundaries, with descriptions. Describe in at least one sentence what would happen if the Earth's plates stopped moving.
There are four main types of plate boundaries on Earth. Divergent, Convergent: Collision, Convergent: Subduction, and Transform. Divergent plates pull away from each other, and magma rises, creating new crust. Seafloor spreading is caused. Divergent boundaries create Mid-Ocean Ridges, and Rift Valleys.