Tectonic Forces Simulation: Earthquakes Activity One

Transcription

1 Tectonic Forces Simulation: Earthquakes Activity One Introduction If you marked all the earthquakes from the past century on a world map, you'd notice that most tend to occur along certain lines around the globe. These lines mark the edges of tectonic plates - the large pieces of earth's crust that fit together like pieces of a puzzle. Tectonic plates are always moving because they float on a layer of hot mantle deeper within the earth. The edges of these plates either collide against each other (at convergent boundaries), slide past each other (at transform boundaries), or move away from each other (at divergent boundaries). Directions Using the tectonic forces simulation, find out which types of earthquakes occur along divergent and transform boundaries. Procedure 1. Read Start Here and close the window. For more information, click Background and close the window. For detailed directions, click Help and read "How to Use this Simulation." 2. Click on the "Choose a type of plate boundary" pull-down menu and select Divergent. 3. Your goal is to find the different types of tectonic activity and geographic features that occur along Divergent plate boundaries. Divergent plates move away from each other. One by one, click the different types of Tectonic Activity. If the graphic for that type of activity overlaps the divergent plate boundaries, leave the box checked. If that type of activity doesn't occur along divergent plate boundaries, click the box again to remove the selection. Do the same thing with Geographic Features. 4. Record the outcomes in the chart below by placing an "X" in the places where you found a match. (Note: A "Correct!" box pops up when you've checked all the types of tectonic activity and geographic features that occur along those plate boundaries.) 5. Now explore Transform plate boundaries. Transform plates slide past each other. Follow the same steps as above and record the outcomes below. Tectonic activity Geographic features Island arc Mountain chain Deep sea trench Mid-oceanic ridge Rift zone Volcanoes Int. and deep focus earthquakes Shallow focus earthquakes Divergent Transform

2 6. What type of earthquake occurs along divergent plate boundaries? What other type of tectonic activity and geographic features occur at these boundaries? 7. Name two places where transform plate boundaries occur. (Click on the yellow circles that appear when you find the matches for transform boundaries.) What important event in U.S. history occurred along a transform plate boundary?

3 Discovery Education Science Dj^couerv ED ^ ¾ ' EDUCATION SCIENCE Tectonic Forces Simulation: Earthquakes Activity Two Introduction Most earthquakes occur along the edges of tectonic plates - the large pieces of earth's crust that fit together like pieces of a puzzle. In the first activity, you saw what types of earthquakes occurred along divergent and transform plates. In this activity, compare earthquake activity along several types of plate boundaries. Then explore different types of faults. Directions Using the tectonic forces simulation, compare earthquake activity along different plate boundaries. Procedure 1. Read Start Here and close the window. For more information, click Background and close the window. For detailed directions, click Help and read "How to Use this Simulation." 2. Find the different types of tectonic activity and geographic features that occur along different plate boundaries. To begin, choose a Plate Boundary from the pull-down menu. Then select the different types of Tectonic Activity and find the ones that occur along those boundaries. Do the same thing with Geographic Features. 3. Follow these steps for each of the five types of plate boundaries. Record the outcomes in the chart below by placing an "X" in the places where you found a match. (Note: A "Correct!" box pops up when you've checked all the types of tectonic activity and geographic features that occur along those plate boundaries.) Tectonic activity Geographic features Island arc Mountain chain Deep sea trench Mid-oceanic ridge Rift zone Volcanoes Int. and deep focus earthquakes Shallow focus earthquakes (Ocean & Continental) (Continental & Continental) (Ocean & Ocean Transform

4 4. What is the difference between shallow focus and deep focus earthquakes? (See Background if you need help.) 5. Where do you find deep focus earthquakes? 6. Do volcanoes always occur where there are earthquakes? Support your answer with an example. 7. What type of plate boundary produces earthquakes occurring along island arcs? 10. What geographic feature occurs along two continental convergent plates? 11. The picture below shows an example of the devastating destruction of an earthquake in Kobe, Japan. What kind of plate boundary caused this damage?

5 12. The image below show a fault line and two types of faults called a normal fault and a reverse fault. Which of the other three images shows a fault caused by a transform plate boundary? 13. What two types of plate boundaries are shown in the image below? Write your answers in the boxes. 14. The map below shows the locations of the largest earthquakes in the world since The chart underneath it provides information about each one. Use the simulation to find the type of plate boundary where each earthquake occurred and write your answer in the chart.

6 Largest Earthquakes in the World Since 1900 Place Date Magnitude Type of plate boundary 1 Chile May 22, Prince William March 28, Sound, Alaska 3 Andreanof Islands, March 9, Aleutian Islands 4 Kamchatka November 4, Japan March 11, Off the Coast of January 31, Ecuador 7 Rat Islands, Aleutian February 4, Islands 8 India-China Border August 15, Kamchatka February 3, Banda Sea, Indonesia February 1, Along what types of plate boundaries have the world's largest earthquakes occurred?

7 Tectonic Forces Simulation: History of Earth Activity One Introduction Earth's continents may seem immobile and stable, but they are always moving. The earth's crust is broken into several large pieces called tectonic plates. Tectonic plates are always moving because they float on a layer of hot mantle deeper within the earth. These plates may collide against each other (at convergent boundaries), slide past each other (at transform boundaries), or move away from each other (at divergent boundaries). Since plates are always on the move, it's not surprising that scientists believe the earth once looked very different. According to the theory of plate tectonics, all of earth's land was once combined as one big landmass - or "supercontinent" called Pangaea. Then about 200 million years ago, it began to break up into two smaller landmasses. They continued to break up, forming our current continents about 65 million years ago. Since then, the continents have continued to slowly drift. The movement is slow, but it's also very powerful, causing earthquakes, volcanoes, and many of earth's geographic features. Some of the most awesome examples of this power are seen in Earth's mountain ranges. Directions Using the tectonic forces simulation, compare mountain ranges formed by convergent plate boundaries. Procedure 1. Read Start Here and close the window. For more information, click Background and close the window. For detailed directions, click Help and read "How to Use this Simulation." 2. Find the different types of tectonic activity and geographic features that occur along two plate boundaries: (Ocean & Continental) and (Continental & Continental). To begin, choose a Plate Boundary from the pull-down menu. Then select the different types of Tectonic Activity and find the ones that occur along those boundaries. Do the same thing with Geographic Features. 3. When you've found all the matches, you'll see yellow circles highlighting mountain ranges along those plate boundaries. Record important facts about these features in the chart below.

8 (Ocean & Continental) Feature: Andes Mountains Location: Feature: Cascade Range Location: (Continental & Continental) Cool facts: Feature: Himalayas Location: Cool facts: Feature: Appalachian Mountains Location: Cool facts: Cool facts: 4. Which mountain ranges are still growing? How does this happen? 5. What is the longest mountain chain in the world? Where is the tallest mountain in the world? 6. Do you think the Appalachian Mountains are still growing? Why or why not?

9 Tectonic Forces Simulation: History of Earth Activity Two Introduction The surface of the earth is always changing, as tectonic plates slowly drift. In the first activity, you saw how tectonic forces created earth's most awesome mountain ranges. In this activity, you'll compare tectonic activity and other geographic features along several types of plate boundaries. Then you'll learn the names of the tectonic plates and identify the ones responsible for different types of tectonic activity and geographic features. Directions Using the tectonic forces simulation, compare earthquake activity along different plate boundaries. Procedure 1. Read Start Here and close the window. For more information, click Background and close the window. For detailed directions, click Help and read "How to Use this Simulation." 2. Find the different types of tectonic activity and geographic features that occur along different plate boundaries. To begin, choose a Plate Boundary from the pull-down menu. Then select the different types of Tectonic Activity and find the ones that occur along those boundaries. Do the same thing with Geographic Features. 3. Follow these steps for each of the five types of plate boundaries. Record the outcomes in the chart below by placing an "X" in the places where you found a match. (Note: A "Correct!" box pops up when you've checked all the types of tectonic activity and geographic features that occur along those plate boundaries.)

10 Tectonic Activity Geographic Features Island arc Mountain Chain Deep Sea Trench Midoceanic ridge Rift zone Volcanoes Int. & deep focus quakes Shallow focus quakes Divergent (Ocean & Continental) (Continental & Continental) (Ocean & Ocean) Transform 4. What types of plate boundaries cause deep sea trenches? 5. Do volcanoes always occur where there are earthquakes? Support your answer with an example. 6. What is the only type of plate boundary that causes a rift zone and a mid-oceanic ridge? 7. Where might you find earthquakes occurring along island arcs? The map below identifies the major tectonic plates that make up the earth's crust. Use this map along with the simulation to answer the questions below.

11 8. Use the simulation to find convergent plate boundaries where an ocean plate collides with a continental plate. What two plates collided to form the Andes Mountains in South America? 9. What geographic feature occurs along two continental convergent plates? Give a specific example and name the two plates that collided to form this feature. 10. Mount St. Helens was one of the most devastating volcanic eruptions in U.S. history. At what type of plate boundary did this volcano erupt? What were the names of the two plates?

12 11. The Atlantic Ocean is slowly expanding every year at the Mid-Atlantic ridge. How is this happening? What are the names of the two plates that form the ridge? What type of plate boundary do they form? 12. What are the names of the two plates causing the San Andreas Fault in California? What type of plate boundary do they form?