Download Chapter 21 – Section 1 - Earth`s Interior and Plate Tectonics

Chapter 21 – Section 1 - Earth’s Interior and Plate Tectonics
Name___________________________________
Hr_____
St#_____
1.
Create a graph or a chart that clearly displays the data given below regarding the thickness of the layers of Earth:
(Make sure to provide labels and/or a key – color coded would be nice ! )
Continental crust – 23 miles or 40 kilometers (avg.)
Oceanic crust – 4.5 miles or 8 kilometers (avg.)
Mantle – 1800 miles or 2900 kilometers
Outer core – 1370 miles or 2200 kilometers
Inner core – 780 miles or 1250 kilometers
2.
If you were able to travel from the surface to the inner core of the Earth describe the types of material and the
relative temperatures you would be traveling through on your journey:
3.
The Earth’s core makes up approximately 32.8% of the Earth’s mass, the mantle represents 66.4%, and the crust
represents 0.8%. The Earth’s core, however, makes up only 18% of the Earth’s volume while the mantle makes
up nearly 84% of the Earth’s volume. What does this data suggest about the Earth’s core?
4.
Describe what evidence Alfred Wegener initially used to support his theory of continental drift?
5.
Summarize what scientists discovered when they analyzed the magnetic bands on the ocean floor:
6.
Assuming that New York was originally “connected” to the west coast of Africa…calculate the number of years
that it took for them to reach their current locations, 6.76 x 10 8 cm apart, if the sea floor is spreading an average of
4 cm per year:
7.
What are “tectonic plates”? How many are there?
8.
What are two theories described in the text that attempt to explain why tectonic plates move?
9.
Illustrate and label the three types of tectonic plate boundaries described in the text. Indicate the direction of
movement for each plate.
10.
Explain how mid-ocean ridges are formed at divergent boundaries:
11.
How are mid-ocean ridges different from mountains on land?
12.
Identify the geologic features that form at each of the following:
a.
a convergent boundary between an oceanic plate and a continental plate
b.
A convergent boundary between two oceanic plates