Dynamic Earth Interactive Web Quest

‭ ‬ Dynamic Earth Interactive Web Quest ‭1.)‬ R ‭ ead the‬‭Introduction‬‭. Then click on the red arrow‬‭where it says‬‭Start your exploration‬ ‭with‬‭Plate Tectonics‬‭(tab located at the top of the‬‭page)‬‭.‬ ‭2.)‬ ‭Follow the directions on the‬‭P late Tectonics‬‭page.‬ ‭Read the information on the page and then click on‬ ‭How Do We Know This‬‭?‬ ‭a.‬ ‭What evidence did Alfred Wegner discover along the coastlines of continents?‬ ‭i.‬ ‭He studied the coastlines along Africa and South America looked like they might fit‬ ‭together‬ ‭ii.‬ ‭He also discovered that the same plants and animal fossils can be found on the coasts‬ ‭of both continents, although oceans separated them‬ ‭iii.‬ ‭He also noticed that the geologic formations of the two continents match up‬ ‭b.‬ ‭What is‬‭Pangaea‬‭?‬ ‭i.‬ ‭Pangaea is a Greek word that means “all the earth”. According to Wegner he believed‬ ‭that earth was once a large land mass and over time it split apart. The different‬ ‭landmasses, or continents, then drifted to their current locations on the globe.‬ ‭c.‬ ‭What is the‬‭theory of‬‭plate tectonics‬‭?‬ ‭i.‬ ‭The theory of plate tectonics states that‬ ‭1.‬ ‭Earth's outer layer, or lithosphere, is broken into several large slabs called‬ ‭plates.‬ ‭2.‬ ‭These plates, which hold the continents and oceans, are slowly but constantly‬ ‭moving around the planet.‬ ‭3.‬ ‭The movement of the plates not only supports our understanding that continents‬ ‭are not fixed and moved over time, but also explains how and why earthquakes,‬ ‭volcanoes, and other geologic events occur.‬ ‭3.)‬ L‭ ocate the red arrow at the bottom of the page and click on‬‭Continents Over Time‬‭. Follow the‬ ‭directions on the next page and complete the activity.‬ ‭COMPLETED‬ ‭4.)‬ ‭Move on to the next chapter,‬‭P late Boundaries‬‭, to‬‭learn how plates interact. Carefully read the entire‬ ‭page and answer the following questions as you read:‬ ‭a.‬ ‭Are the earth’s continents constantly moving? Why?‬ ‭i.‬ ‭Yes, Tremendous heat and pressure within the earth cause the hot magma to flow in‬ ‭convection currents. These currents cause the movement of the tectonic plates that‬ ‭make up the earth's crust.‬ ‭b.‬ ‭Fill in the chart below.‬ ‭Type of Plate Boundary‬ ‭Draw 2 arrows to‬ ‭What is it and provide an‬ ‭represent‬ ‭example‬ ‭Convergent boundaries are‬ ‭Convergent‬ ‭when two plates come‬ ‭together‬ ‭The boundary between the‬ ‭Eurasian Plate and the Indian‬ ‭Plate at the Himalayas‬ ‭A divergent boundary occurs‬ ‭Divergent‬ ‭when two tectonic plates‬ ‭move away from each other.‬ ‭The boundary between the‬ ‭African Plate and the Arabian‬ ‭Plate in the Red Sea‬ ‭Transform boundaries are‬ ‭Transform‬ ‭places where plates slide‬ ‭s ideways past each other.‬ ‭The boundary between the‬ ‭Pacific Plate and the‬ ‭Australian Plate, crossing‬ ‭New Zealand‬ ‭5.)‬ ‭Use the map at the bottom of the page to see where the three types of plate boundaries are found‬ ‭throughout the world.‬ ‭COMPLETED‬ ‭6.)‬ ‭Locate the red arrow at the bottom of the page and click on‬‭P lates & Boundaries Challenge‬‭. Complete‬ ‭the challenge.‬ ‭COMPLETED‬ ‭7.)‬ ‭Read the‬‭Slip, Slide, & Collide‬‭page and answer the‬‭following question:‬ ‭a.‬ ‭Give examples of geological phenomena we experience on Earth that are caused by the‬ ‭s lipping, sliding, and colliding of tectonic plates.‬ ‭i.‬ ‭Himalayan mountains grow taller every year - Plate Collision, Indian and Eurasian plate‬ ‭ii.‬ ‭Mid Ocean Ridges - At divergent boundaries, plates move apart and magma from the‬ ‭mantle rises to fill up the gap‬ ‭iii.‬ ‭Earthquakes/Volcanoes - Tectonic plates slipping‬ ‭8.)‬ ‭Locate the red arrow at the bottom of the page and click on‬‭See what happens at different plate‬ ‭boundaries‬‭. Read and view the diagrams.‬ ‭Plates in Motion Impacts‬ ‭W hat will happen if two continental plates collide?‬ ‭Continent - Continent Collision → Because the rock making up continental plates is generally lighter and less‬ ‭ ense than oceanic rock, it is too light to get pulled under the earth and turned into magma. Instead, a‬ d ‭collision between two continental plates crunches and folds the rock at the boundary, lifting it up and leading‬ ‭to the formation of mountains and mountain ranges.‬ ‭Example:‬ T‭ he Himalayan range in southern Asia - This process began after the breakup of Pangaea, when India became‬ ‭an island continent and began traveling northward toward Asia. The island of India slammed into Asia about 40‬ ‭to 50 million years ago near modern-day Tibet, crushing and folding the plates to form the Himalayan mountain‬ ‭range. Indian Plate is continuing its northward movement into Asia, Himalayas continue grow higher each year‬ ‭by 5 to 20 mm or 1 inch per year.‬ ‭W hat will happen if a continental plate collides with an oceanic plate?‬ ‭Continent - Oceanic Crust Collision → Oceanic crust tends to be denser and thinner than continental crust‬ T‭ his means that the denser oceanic crust gets bent and pulled under, or subducted, beneath the lighter and‬ ‭thicker continental crust.‬ ‭This forms what is called a‬‭subduction zone‬‭.‬ ‭As the oceanic crust sinks, a deep oceanic trench/valley, is formed at the edge of the continent.‬ T‭ he crust continues to be forced deeper into the earth, where high heat and pressure cause trapped water and‬ ‭other gasses to be released from it.‬ ‭This, in turn, makes the base of the crust melt, forming magma‬ ‭Example: Band of active volcanoes that encircle the Pacific Ocean, often referred to as the Ring of Fire.‬ ‭W hat will happen if two oceanic plates collide?‬ ‭ ceanic - Oceanic Collision →‬‭A subduction zone is‬‭also generated when two oceanic plates collide —‬ O ‭the older plate is forced under the younger one — and it leads to the formation of chains of volcanic‬ ‭islands known as‬‭island arcs‬‭. Since the collision‬‭and subduction of plates is not a smooth process,‬ ‭large, powerful earthquakes are another phenomenon that result from this type of interaction.‬ ‭Earthquakes generated in a subduction zone can also give rise to tsunamis.‬ ‭Example:‬ ‭‬ T ● ‭ he Mariana Islands in the western Pacific Ocean‬ ‭●‬ ‭The Aleutian Islands, off the coast of Alaska‬ ‭