TECTONIC PLATESChapter 6

IMPORTANT UNIT VOCABULARY

Subduction one Tectonic Plate Inner Core Earthquake Lithosphere Divergent Boundary Convergent Boundary Transform Boundary Pyroclastic Flow Epicenter Volcano Lava Pyroclastic Flow Richter Scale

OBJECTIVE: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO STUDY FOR THE STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH QUIZ AFTER COMPLETING QUIZ STUDY GUIDE Structure of the Earth Quiz – Study Guide I. Label the diagram below:                                                    

STUDY GUIDE ANSWER KEY I. Describe the formation of the Earth: About 4.6 billion years ago Earth formed when dust and debris from a supernova, came together, due to its own gravity,

through the process of accretion. The impacts of this process and radioactive decay produced intense heat. This heat is still in the Earth and much of the Earth is still a molten(liquid ) rock.

  II. Scientist Describe Inner and Outer Core: The Earth has a dense metallic core made of Iron and Nickel that sunk towards the center of the Earth because due to

its density. The core is divided into an inner core and outer core. The inner core is solid due to intense pressure. The outer core is liquid and moves and flows. It is believed that the metals are charged (ionized) and these moving charges create a magnetic field around the Earth.

  III. Describe the Mantle: The Earth’s thickest layer, it is made of hot rock (Magma) It moves like a thick paste. Convection currents in the magma create the motion

of the Tectonic Plates.        IV. Describe the Crust: The crust is a thin layer, 7km – 70km. (5mi.-40mi.) thick of solid rock. This rock is mostly igneous rock. It is divided into two categories:

Oceanic Crust and Continental Crust     V. Create a T-Chart illustrating the differences between Continental Crust and Oceanic Crust (include 2 differences)   Oceanic Crust | Continental Crust Thinner | Thicker Denser| Less Dense   VI. Describe the Lithosphere and the Asthenosphere: Scientists further classify parts of the interior of the Earth based on the physical state of the rock.   The Lithosphere is the SOLID portions of the upper mantle and the crust. Litho- means “stone”   The Asthenosphere is the hotter, softer layer of rock of the mantle that the tectonic plate plates rest and move upon. Asthenes- which means “weak” rock. Its physical state is like hot tar.        

KEY CONTINUED IV. Describe the Crust: The crust is a thin layer, 7km – 70km. (5mi.-40mi.) thick of solid rock. This rock is

mostly igneous rock. It is divided into two categories: Oceanic Crust and Continental Crust     V. Create a T-Chart illustrating the differences between Continental Crust and Oceanic Crust

(include 2 differences)   Oceanic Crust | Continental Crust Thinner | Thicker Denser | Less Dense   VI. Describe the Lithosphere and the Asthenosphere: Scientists further classify parts of the interior of the

Earth based on the physical state of the rock.   The Lithosphere is the SOLID portions of the upper mantle and the crust. Litho- means “stone”   The Asthenosphere is the hotter, softer layer of rock of the mantle that the tectonic plate plates rest and move upon. Asthenes- which means “weak” rock. Its physical state is like hot tar.        

STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH

ALFRED WEGENER

Objective: Students will be able to describe the three pieces of evidence that Alfred Wegener used to support his theory of “Continental Drift” Fossil Evidence

Fossils of Mesosaurus in both Western Africa and Easter South America

Climate Evidence Evidence of Tropical Plants on Greenland Glacial Scrap marks in South Africa

Geological Same types of sedimentary rock in Scotland and North

America

PLATE BOUNDARIES

Students will be able to identify one (real world) location on Earth that is an example of each type of boundary. Divergent Boundary

Mid-Atlantic Ocean Ridge Great Rift Valley in Africa

Convergent Boundaries Mt. Everest – Himalayan Mts. – Indian Plate pushing into the

Eurasian Plate Subduction Zone – Pacific Plate pushing under the South American

plate – creating a deep ocean trench, coastal mountains, and volcanoes

Transform Boundary San Andreas Fault in California – the pacific plate moving southward

and the North American Plate moving northward.

EARTHS MAGNETIC FIELD & MAGNETIC REVERSAL

Objective: Students will be able to describe the Earth’s Magnetic field and how it was used to prove the theory of plate tectonics.

SEAFLOOR SPREADING AND MAGNETIC REVERSAL

By studying rock samples taken from the Ocean floor on either side of the mid-Atlantic ridge, scientists were able to prove that rocks further from the ridge were older, and that the magnetic characteristics of the rocks match rocks on the other side.

DIVERGENT, CONVERGENT, AND TRANSFORM BOUNDARIES

EARTHQUAKES & THE INTERIOR STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH

Objective: Students will be able to describe how scientists use earthquake Surface, primary (p) and secondary (s) waves to learn about the interior of the Earth.

TYPES OF CONVERGENT BOUNDARIES Objective – Students will be able to identify the

landforms that are created during continental-continental boundaries, oceanic-oceanic boundaries, and oceanic-continental convergent boundaries. Continental-continental –

Mountains - Mt. Everest Oceanic-oceanic –

Deep ocean trenches – Mariana Trench and the island of Guam Oceanic-continental –

Subduction Zone, Coastal Mountains, volcanoes, and deep ocean trenches – Andes Mountains and Volcanoes of Chile – and the South American Coast.

PRIMARY AND SECONDARY WAVE DIAGRAM

HOW SCIENTIST USE SURFACE ,P & S WAVES TO DETERMINE THE STRUCTURE OF THE EARTH (

Earthquakes produce three types of seismic waves. Each type moves through materials differently. In addition, the waves can reflect, or bounce, off boundaries between different layers, due to the different densities of these layers. The waves can also bend as they pass from one layer to another. Scientists have learned about the interior Earth layers by studying the paths and speeds of these waves.

PARTS OF A VOLCANO

Objective: Students will be able to label the parts of a Volcano.

1. Crater 2. Lava 3. Cone 4. Magma Chamber 5. Vent 6. Dust, ash, & rock fragments