Name ________________________________ Date ___________ Period ____

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. a!el the layers of "arth in the diagram !elow.
2. #he lithosphere is made up of the $crust% and a tiny !it of the $inner core)
3. #he plates of the lithosphere move $or float% on this hot& mallea!le _(upper mantle)______
'one in the upper mantle& directly underneath the lithosphere. #his is known as the
________________$semisoli roc!%_______.
". #he layer of "arth that is the only li(uid layer is the (outer 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.) crust
2.) mantle
3.) inner core
4.) outer core
5.) mantle
1. #rue or #alse) *mage + depicts what "arth looks like today. $circle the correctanswer%
,.-hat did "arth look like ,./ million years ago) #he continents of "arth were clustered
together in formation that a scientist named _____pangea_________. #he scientist that
named 0Pangaea1 was a 2erman scientist !y the name of ______alfred wergener_____
_____ . 3e theori'ed that 0Pangaea4 split apart and the different landmasses& or
continents& drifted to their current locations on the glo!e. -egener5s theories of plate
movement !ecame the !asis for the development of the theory of _______plate
tectonics_____ .
6. 7rder the images of "arth5s plates in order from oldest or earliest $1% to most recent $.%.
5 3 2 4 1
Part III. Plates an $ounaries. Use the following link to find these answers:
http://www.learner.org/interactives/dynamicearth/plate.htm l
1. Name the missing tectonic plates in the !lanks on the image !elow.
n.a plate
Eurasian plate
Pacific plate
African plate Australian plate
s.a plate
Antartic plate
,. #he place where the two plates meet is called a _____!oundry ______________. 8oundaries
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
_____convergent__________________.
8. *f two plates are moving apart from each other it is called a
___divergent_____________.
Name ________________________________ Date ___________ Period ____
9. *f two plates are sliding past each other it is a called a
__________transform________________.
6. a!el the type of !oundary depicted in each image !elow.
transform divergent convergent
:. Plates and 8oundaries 9hallenge. ;ollow directions for the challenge. <ecord your results
!elow:
Part *. Num!er of correctly placed plates = _______11___________________
Part **. Num!er of !oundary types correctly la!eled = ______6____________
Part I%. Slip& Slie& an 'ollie. 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 ______collide_____ with each other. #he
events that occur at these !oundaries are linked to the types of plates $oceanic or
__continental _____________% that are interacting.
Subuction *ones an %olcanoes
+t some convergent !oundaries& an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate.
7ceanic crust tends to !e ____denser___ and ___thinner__ than continental crust& so the
denser oceanic crust gets !ent and pulled under& or ____su!ducted___& !eneath the
lighter and thicker continental crust. #his forms what is called a subuction +one. +s the
oceanic crust sinks& a deep oceanic ___trench__& or valley& is formed at the edge of the
continent. #he crust continues to !e forced deeper into the earth& where high heat and
pressure cause trapped water and other gasses to !e released from it. #his& in turn& makes
the !ase of the crust melt& forming __magma_____. #he magma formed at a su!duction
'one rises up toward the earth>s surface and !uilds up in magma cham!ers& where it feeds
and creates ____volcanoes_____ on the overriding plate. -hen this magma finds its way
to
the surface through a vent in the crust& the volcano erupts& e?pelling _____lava______ and
____ash______. +n e?ample of this is the !and of active volcanoes that encircle the
Pacific 7cean& often referred to as the <ing of ;ire.
<oll your mouse over the image to find the definitions of the words !elow:
@u!duction Aone B __one plate is pulled over the edge of the
other.__________________________
Cagma D ___molten rock& gases& and crystali'ed materials.________________
#rench D __steep sided depression in the ocean floor._______________
Eolcano D ___vent in earths surface where magma and gases erupt.
___________________________________________________________
Eolcanic +rc D __arch shaped chain of volcanoes formed a!ove a su!duction
'one._________________________________________________________
;ill in the type of crust converging in the image !elow.
Con. crust
Oceanic crust
+ su!duction 'one is also generated when two oceanic plates collide F the older plate is
forced under the _____younger_________ one& and it leads to the formation of chains of
volcanic islands known as __________island archs__ ___________.
'ollision *ones an ,ountains
-hat happens when two continental plates collide) 8ecause 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 !etween two continental
plates crunches and folds the rock at the !oundary& lifting it up and leading to the formation
of __mountains and mountain ranges.________________ .
Name ________________________________ Date ___________ Period ____
;ill in the type of crust converging in the image !elow.
Con. crust
Con. crust
<oll your mouse over the image to find the definitions of the words !elow:
9ontinental 9rust D ___earths crust that makes up the conntinents
__________________________________________________
Countain D ____large mass of earth and rock that rises a!ove earths surface.
________________________________________________________
,. +t i(er)ent bounaries& tectonic plates are moving ____away______ from each other.
7ne result of huge masses of crust moving apart is ______seafloor________ spreading.
#his 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 !etween the plates&
forming a raised ridge called a ____midDocean ridge___________ ___________. #he
magma also spreads outward& forming ____new_____ ocean floor and ___new______
oceanic crust.
-hen two _____ continental __________ plates diverge& a valleyDlike rift develops. #his
____rift______ 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 ___volcanoes____________& which
may !ecome increasingly active. "arly in the rift formation& streams and rivers flow into the
low valleys and long& narrow lakes can !e created. "ventually& the widening crust along the
divergent !oundary may !ecome thin enough that a piece of the continent !reaks off&
forming a new tectonic plate.
Name ________________________________ Date ___________ Period ____
6. +t trans-orm bounaries& tectonic plates are not moving directly toward or directly away
from each other. *nstead& two tectonic plates __grind_________ past each other in a
hori'ontal direction. #his kind of !oundary results in a ___fault______. + fault is a crack or
___fracture________
in the earth>s crust that is associated with this movement.
#ransform !oundaries and the resulting faults produce many
___earth(uakes_____________ !ecause edges of tectonic plates are Gagged rather than
_____smooth_______. +s the plates grind past each other& the Gagged edges strike each
other& catch& and stick& 4locking4 the plates in place for a time. 8ecause the plates are
locked together without moving& a lot of
______stress______ !uilds up at the fault line. #his stress is released in (uick !ursts
when the plates suddenly slip into new positions. #he sudden movement is what we feel
as the shaking and trem!ling of an earth(uake.
#he motion of the plates at a transform !oundary has given this type of fault another name&
a ___________strike slip fault______ ____________. #he !estDstudied strikeDslip fault is
the @an +ndreas ;ault in ___california____________.
:. 9omplete the Plate *nteractions 9hallenge and #est @kills (uestions.
Cy score for Plate *nteractions 9hallenge = ____1/______________________
Cy score for #est @kills (uestions = _______,/ out of 6/ or ____ H____
Name ________________________________ Date ___________ Period ____
Part %. Questions .ou shoul be able to ans/er no/ that .ou complete this /eb0uest.
Note D you may go !ack to the we!site and review to assist in answering the
following (uestions.
9onvergent 8oundary
$ocean B continental%
9onvergent 8oundary
$ocean B ocean%
9onvergent 8oundary
$continental B continental%
1. DeepDocean ______trenchs__________ and
______rifts_________ are created !y
convergent !oundaries of ocean and
continental crust.
,. DeepDocean _____trenchs____________ &
_______rifts_________& and
______valleys_______ are created !y
convergent !oundaries of ocean and ocean
crust.
6. _____moutains___________________ are
created !y convergent !oundaries of continental
and continental crust.
:. +nother type of !oundary neither creates nor
consumes crust. #his type of !oundary is called a
_____transform____________ !oundary !ecause
two plates move against each other& !uilding up
tension& then release
the tension is a
sudden Gerk of land
called an
___earth(uake_____
____________.
Name ________________________________ Date ___________ Period ____
:. 9ircle the correct type of !oundary for each description!elow:
+. #he!oundarywheretwoplatesmeetandtrenchesareformed.
1i(er)ent 'on(er)ent Trans-orm
8. #heplatesmoveawayfromeachotherallowingmagmatocreatenewoceancrust.
1i(er)ent 'on(er)ent Trans-orm
9. #heplatesmoveinoppositedirections!uildinguptensionuntiltheyslipcausing
earth(uakes.
1i(er)ent 'on(er)ent Trans-orm
.. a!el each type of !oundary as either: 1i(er)ent& 'on(er)ent& or Trans-orm $ounar.:
hh
+. ____________convergent_____________________
___
8. __________transform_______________________
__
hh
9. ______divergent_________________________
___
#he end. Please take a minute and look over your we!D(uest to make sure you answered
all (uestions and completed all tasks. Cake sure your name is on the front and turn it in.