Download The Earth`s Crust in Motion Name The crust of the earth, or

The Earth’s Crust in Motion
Name ___________________________
The crust of the earth,
or lithosphere, is broken into a
number of tectonic plates that
float on the layer of the mantle
called the asthenosphere.
Because the plates are moving,
the appearance of the world
map actually changes over
time. Over 200 million years
ago all land masses were
connected in a large body called
Pangaea. As the plates
continued to move, land
masses pushed into each other,
moved away from each other,
and slid past each other.
The plates continue to
move today changing the
appearance of Earth’s surface.
Not all plates move in the same
direction or at the same rate.
Procedure:
1. Cut out the individual tectonic plates and assemble them into the current world map. Glue this world
map to the back of your paper.
2. Use the provided key to label each of the plates.
3. Label each named tectonic plate with an arrow to show the direction it is moving and the velocity at
which it is traveling.
4. Answer the analysis questions.
Tectonic Plate
Approximate Direction
Approximate Velocity (cm/yr)
African
W
1.622
Antarctic
SW
2.21
Arabian
NW
2.236
Australian
N
5.808
Caribbean
W
3.03
Cocos
NE
11.571
Eurasian
W
2.252
Indian
N
2.593
Juan de Fuca
NE
10.446
Nazca
E
3.586
North American
W
4.114
Pacific
NW
11.78
Phillippine
NW
10.574
Scotia
W
4.893
South American
W
4.83
Map: Glue your map in the space provided.
Analysis Questions: Answer with complete sentences.
1. Which tectonic plate is moving the fastest? Which tectonic plate is moving the slowest?
2.
What type of boundary occurs between the South American and African plates? What type of
land form is located there as a result of this boundary type?
3. What type of boundary is located between the Indian and Eurasian plates? What type of
landform is located there as a result of this boundary type?
4.
Where on the map can you see a transform boundary? What even would you expect to happen
there?