Dynamic Earth Interactive: Plate Tectonics

Dynamic Earth Interactive: Plate Tectonics

Dynamic Earth Interactive: Plate Tectonics

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Instructions

This worksheet is intended to be used with the “Dynamic Earth” interactive web site at:

To complete this worksheet go to the web site at the address listed above, then follow the links. Be sure to follow each link all the way, roll your mouse over the diagrams wherever it says to do so, and take each “Challenge”.

Earth’s Structure

  1. The outermost layer of the Earth is the ______. It is thickest under the ______and thinnest under the ______.
  2. What is the mantle made of?
  3. The lithosphere is made up of the ______and a small part of the
    ______.
  4. The lithosphere is divided into several constantly moving ______that hold the ______and the ______.
  5. The plates of the lithosphere move on the ______, which is very hot and ______.
  6. What does the word “malleable” mean?
  7. The outer core is the only ______layer of the Earth.
  8. The outer core is made up primarily of what two substances?
  9. The inner core is extremely hot and ______. Like the outer core it is primarily made up of ______and ______.

Plate Tectonics

  1. What evidence did Wegner find that supports the hypothesis that the Earth’s continents were once joined in a single large landmass?
  2. According to plate tectonics theory Earth’s outer layer, the ______, is broken into several large ______, which hold the continents and the oceans, and are in constant motion.
  3. Plate tectonics theory explains how ______, ______, and other geologic events occur.

Plates and Boundaries

  1. The Earth’s continents are constantly moving due to the motions of the ______.
  2. How does continental crust differ from oceanic crust?
  3. The border between two tectonic plates is called a ______.

  1. List the three types of plate boundaries and describe the motions of the plates at each.
  2. Where do most divergent plate boundaries occur, in the interiors of continents or in the oceans?
  3. What kind of plate boundary occurs between the Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate?
  4. In California, there is a transform boundary between the North American Plate and what other plate?

Slip, Slide, and Collide

  1. Where do most geologic events take place?
  2. What is a subduction zone?
  3. Where an oceanic plate collides with a continental plate, why does the oceanic crust get pulled under the continental crust?
  4. What geologic features would you expect to see near a subduction zone?

  1. A chain of islands called a ______sometimes forms above subduction zones.
  2. Why do earthquakes occur at subduction zones?
  3. What is a tsunami?
  4. What geologic features typically form where two continental plates collide?
  5. What happens when divergent boundaries occur in the middle of an ocean?
  6. What forms when boundaries between continental plates diverge?
  7. In a transform boundary, in which direction are the plates moving?
  8. In transform boundaries, the plates can become “stuck”. What happens when the plates suddenly become “unstuck”?
  9. What is the name of the famous transform boundary that runs through California?

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