Instructions
Read each section carefully and answer the questions to the best of your ability. You will explore the massive, moving plates that make up the Earth's surface and the powerful forces that shape our world!
Part 1: Vocabulary Match-Up
Match the term on the left with its correct definition on the right. Write the letter of the definition in the blank space provided.
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1. ___ Lithosphere 2. ___ Pangaea 3. ___ Subduction 4. ___ Plate Boundary 5. ___ Convection Currents |
A. The name for the ancient supercontinent when all the land on Earth was joined together. B. The area where two tectonic plates meet. C. The driving force behind plate movement; the circulation of hot material rising and cool material sinking in the mantle. D. The rigid outer layer of the Earth, made up of the crust and the upper mantle, which is broken into tectonic plates. E. The process where one tectonic plate is forced to slide underneath another plate. |
Part 2: Boundary Breakdown
The movement of tectonic plates creates three main types of boundaries. Fill in the blanks in the table below to describe each one.
| Boundary Type | How the Plates Move | Common Landforms / Events |
|---|---|---|
| Divergent | Plates pull apart from each other. | ______________________________ (e.g., Mid-ocean ridges) |
| Convergent | ______________________________ | Mountains, Volcanoes, Ocean Trenches |
| Transform | Plates slide horizontally past one another. | ______________________________ |
Part 3: Geologist's Field Notes
Read the notes from a geologist in the field. Identify the type of plate boundary being described and a likely geological feature or event that would be found there.
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Field Note #1: "I'm observing a huge mountain range that seems to be getting taller by a few millimeters each year! It looks like two continental plates have crashed into each other with incredible force, crumpling the rock upwards."
- Boundary Type: ______________________________
- Feature/Event: ______________________________
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Field Note #2: "My seismograph is going crazy! The ground here is constantly shaking. I can see where two plates are grinding past each other, creating a massive fault line. The stress builds up and is then released suddenly."
- Boundary Type: ______________________________
- Feature/Event: ______________________________
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Field Note #3: "I'm in a deep-sea submersible in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. New crust is being formed as magma rises up from the mantle to fill the gap between two plates that are spreading apart."
- Boundary Type: ______________________________
- Feature/Event: ______________________________
Part 4: Think About It!
Answer the following questions using what you have learned.
The "Ring of Fire" is an area in the Pacific Ocean known for a nearly continuous series of volcanoes and earthquakes. Based on this, what can you conclude about the plate boundaries in this region?
_________________________________________________________________________
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Scientists know that the continents are still moving today. For example, North America and Europe are moving away from each other. What type of plate boundary is located in the Atlantic Ocean between them?
_________________________________________________________________________
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Answer Key
Part 1: Vocabulary Match-Up
- D - Lithosphere
- A - Pangaea
- E - Subduction
- B - Plate Boundary
- C - Convection Currents
Part 2: Boundary Breakdown
| Boundary Type | How the Plates Move | Common Landforms / Events |
|---|---|---|
| Divergent | Plates pull apart from each other. | Mid-ocean ridges, Rift valleys |
| Convergent | Plates collide or push together. | Mountains, Volcanoes, Ocean Trenches |
| Transform | Plates slide horizontally past one another. | Earthquakes, Fault lines |
Part 3: Geologist's Field Notes
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- Boundary Type: Convergent
- Feature/Event: Mountain Range
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- Boundary Type: Transform
- Feature/Event: Earthquake / Fault line
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- Boundary Type: Divergent
- Feature/Event: Mid-ocean ridge / Seafloor spreading
Part 4: Think About It!
You can conclude that the Ring of Fire is located on a series of active plate boundaries, likely convergent boundaries where subduction is occurring, causing magma to rise and form volcanoes, and transform boundaries, causing frequent earthquakes.
A divergent plate boundary is located in the Atlantic Ocean. This is where the plates are moving apart, creating the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.