Download How do Scientists determine the boundaries of the plates?

Name __________________________________
Period _____
Date ___________________
HOW DO SCIENTISTS DETERMINE
THE BOUNDARIES OF THE EARTH’S PLATES?
Scientists discovered that when the locations of earthquakes were plotted on a world map, these
locations occurred in a variety of patterns. These patterns led scientists to believe that the earth’s
crust is divided into different sections, or plates. The theory of plate tectonics states that the earth’s
LITHOSPHERE (crust) is broken into moving plates that glide around on a semi-liquid interior. There are
thirteen total plates, but only seven large, major plates. Six of the seven major continental plates are
named for the continents where they are located. The seventh continental plate, the Nazca Plate, is
located between the South American and Pacific Plates.
The three types of plate boundaries, divergent boundaries, convergent boundaries, and transform
boundaries, describe how two plates move relative to each other. CONVERGENT BOUNDARIES are colliding
together, DIVERGENT BOUNDARIES are pulling apart, and TRANSFORM BOUNDARIES slide past each other.
By plotting the locations of earthquakes, scientists have not only been able to locate plate boundaries
but have also been able to determine plate characteristics and predict the movement of the plates. In
this investigation, you will plot the locations of earthquakes and determine the boundaries of the earth’s
plates. You will also study the directions in which various plates move.
PROCEDURE
1. Following is a list of geographic coordinates of historical earthquakes. Plot the location of each
earthquake on the map on your answer sheet by placing a dot where the longitude and latitude
coordinates intersect. Then connect the dots to form a curved line.
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
75°N
0°
30°S
20°W
70°N
15°W
40°S
28°W
60°N
29°W
45°S
30°W
55°N
30°W
55°S
40°W
45°N
40°W
60°S
60°W
35°N
40°W
40°S
90°W
20°N
40°W
35°S
120°W
15°N
30°W
45°S
135°W
0°
20°W
50°S
150°W
15°S
20°W
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
2. Plot the following coordinates and then connect them.
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
35°N
30°W
5°N
60°E
35°N
10°W
10°S
70°E
35°N
0°
30°S
45°E
35°N
15°E
48°S
30°E
30°N
30°E
50°S
0°
25°N
40°E
47°S
20°W
10°N
45°E
3. Plot the following coordinates and then connect them.
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
15°N
55°W
15°N
65°W
15°N
75°W
4. Plot the following coordinates and then connect them.
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
50°N
170°W
15°N
90°W
55°N
150°W
5°N
75°W
45°N
125°W
15°S
70°W
30°N
115°W
30°S
75°W
20°N
105°W
45°S
75°W
5. Plot the following coordinates and then connect them.
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
60°N
180°E
30°S
165°E
55°N
150°E
50°S
160°E
45°N
130°E
55°S
135°E
30°N
125°E
50°S
110°E
15°N
120°E
40°S
80°E
0°
120°E
20°S
75°E
10°S
135°E
15°S
65°E
15°S
160°E
6. Plot the following coordinates and then connect them.
LATITUDE
LONGITUDE
30°N
45°E
30°N
60°E
30°N
75°E
20°N
90°E
15°N
95°E
0°
105°E
5°S
120°E
Name __________________________________
Period _____
Date ___________________
HOW DO SCIENTISTS DETERMINE
THE BOUNDARIES OF THE EARTH’S PLATES?
1. Look at the map you have just completed. What do the lines represent?
2. Listed below are six of the seven major continental plates that scientists have identified. The
continental plates are named after the continent that is located on top of the plate. Write the names
of the following continental plates in the proper places on your map. The seventh major plate is the
Nazca Plate, which is identified for you.
North American Plate
Eurasian Plate
South American Plate
Indo-Australian Plate
African Plate
Antarctic Plate
3. Using the reading, define the following three vocabulary terms:
a.) Convergent Boundary:
b.) Divergent Boundary:
c.) Transform Boundary:
4. Plate boundaries move in different directions. The
movement of two plates creates natural formations in
the rock layers of the Earth. Study the four diagrams
in the figure to the right. Compare them to the
features listed on your map.
a.) What deep part of the seafloor might be an
example that best matches diagram A?
b.) What landform on your map would best match
up with diagram B to the right?
c.) What widening space on the seafloor might
best matchup with diagram C to the right?
d.) What type of boundary is shown in diagram D
to the right?
5. How have earthquakes helped geologists identify major plates on the Earth?
6. Why is knowing the location of plate boundaries important?
7. Based upon your mapping and the diagrams above, which type of boundary would most likely be
associated with brand new rock being formed?
8. Based upon your mapping and the diagrams above, which type of boundary would most likely be
associated with rock being buried beneath the Earth and remelted into magma or metamorphic rocks?