Download es2 plate boundaries lab

Identifying Plates and Plate Boundaries
Name __________________________
Date __________
Use the map of tectonic plates, a world map, and your notes about plate boundaries to answer the
following questions.
1. Plates that carry continental landmasses are referred to as continental plates (large gray areas on the
map). Plates composed mostly of ocean floor are called oceanic plates (white areas on the map).
a. Continental plates typically contain both continental and oceanic crust. List the names of the
major continental plates: ____________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
b. Oceanic plates are composed almost entirely of oceanic crust. Name three oceanic plates:
________________________________________________________________________________
2. Study the key at the bottom of the map. Note the symbols used to represent the three main types of
plate boundaries: divergent, convergent, and transform boundaries.
a. Trace all the divergent boundaries PURPLE, including the mid-ocean ridges.
b. Trace all the convergent boundaries RED.
c. Trace the major transform boundaries GREEN.
Study the North American plate. Note that the plate is not just the continent of North America. It also
contains a large portion of the Atlantic Ocean floor.
3. a. The eastern edge of the North American plate is a: (circle one)
divergent convergent transform
boundary.
b. Identify the feature that forms the eastern edge of the North American plate:
_____________________________________________
c. What large island in the North Atlantic Ocean was created by volcanic activity at this boundary?
_____________________________________________
d. Identify the two plates from which the North American plate is separating at this boundary:
_____________________________________________
e. Based on the type of plate movement occurring in the Atlantic Ocean, is the Atlantic Ocean basin
currently increasing or decreasing in size? _____________________________________________
4. The western boundary of the North American plate is more complicated than the eastern edge. Parts
of this boundary are convergent and parts are transform.
a. Beginning in Alaska, follow the western boundary of the North American Plate. Identify two plates
with which the North American plate is colliding:
________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________ Are those plates continental or oceanic plates (refer
back to #1 to help you tell the difference)? _____________________________________________
b. Use a map of the United States to locate the Cascade Mountains in the northwestern U.S.
LABEL the CASCADE MOUNTAINS on the map.
c. The Cascade Mountains (including Mt. St. Helens) are volcanic mountains that have formed as a
result of an ocean to continent convergent boundary on the west coast of North America. Identify the
small oceanic plate that is being subducted beneath the North American plate in this region:
_____________________________________________ This oceanic plate sinks because the
oceanic crust is __________ (more or less?) dense than continental crust.
d. Lightly color the Juan de Fuca plate BLUE.
e. To the south of the Cascades Mountains region, there is a major transform boundary on the
western edge of the North American plate. (You should have already colored this GREEN.) This
boundary is called the _____________________________________________. It separates the
Pacific plate from the North American plate and runs through the southern part of the state of
______________________________.
f. Based on the arrows on either side of this boundary, describe the relative motion of the two
plates: the east side (the North American plate) is moving to the ____________________ (describe
the compass direction) and the west side (the Pacific plate) is moving to the ___________________.
g. Notice the area labeled the “Aleutian Trench.” The island chain to the north of the trench is called
the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. What type of convergent boundary is located in this region: (circle
one) ocean to continent ocean to ocean continent to continent.
h. Based on what you know about plate boundaries with trenches, would you expect the Aleutian
Islands to be volcanic OR not volcanic? ____________________
i. Mexico forms the southern part of the North American plate. What type of boundary is located
along the west coast of Mexico? (circle one) divergent convergent transform Identify the small
oceanic plate that is being subducted beneath the North American plate off the coast of Mexico:
______________________________Would you expect to see volcanoes in Mexico? __________
(yes or no?) Explain your answer. ____________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
5. Notice that the eastern part of the North American continent (the gray area) is NOT located near a
plate boundary. However, it once was in the middle of Pangaea. The Appalachian Mountains formed
when all the continents collided to form Pangaea. Use a U.S. map to find the Appalachian
Mountains. LABEL the APPALACHIAN MOUNTAINS on the map.
6. COLOR the entire North American plate YELLOW.
7. Now study the Pacific plate.
a. What type of plate boundary dominates the western edges of the Pacific plate?
divergent convergent transform
b. What type of plate boundary forms the southeastern and southern edges of the Pacific plate?
divergent convergent transform
Most of these boundaries are associated with volcanic activity, earning this part of the world the
nickname “RING OF FIRE.”
c. Locate and LABEL the following island regions in the Pacific: JAPAN, the PHILIPPINES, NEW
ZEALAND, FIJI. There are active volcanoes on all of these islands. Explain why, in terms of plate
boundaries, this is true. _____________________________________________________________
8. COLOR the entire Pacific plate BLUE.
9. The Pacific plate is not the only plate in the Pacific Ocean. Another plate, called the
______________________________ plate, located in the southeastern part of the Pacific Ocean, is
colliding with the ______________________________ plate. This subduction zone has formed the
Andes Mountains. Locate and LABEL the ANDES MOUNTAINS on the map.
10. Most active divergent boundaries are located along mid-ocean ridges; however, there is one
divergent boundary on a continent.
a. This continental rift is called the ______________________________ _____.
b. It is located on the _________________________ plate. Color this boundary PURPLE like the
other divergent boundaries.
c. What large island off the east coast of Africa appears to have formed from earlier separation of
the African plate? ______________________________
11. a. Use a world map to locate the Himalaya Mountains. Locate and LABEL the HIMALAYA
MOUNTAINS on the plate map. COLOR this area BROWN.
b. What type of convergent boundary has created the Himalayas? (circle one)
ocean to continent ocean to ocean continent to continent
c. Identify the two plates that are colliding along this boundary:
________________________________________________________________________________
12. Locate and LABEL the INDONESIAN Islands on your map. These islands are also located along the
boundary of the _________________________ and _________________________ plates, but in
this area, it is a: (circle one) ocean to continent ocean to ocean continent to continent
convergent boundary. Some of Earth’s most violent volcanoes and intense earthquakes are located
occurred in this part of the world.
Staple your map to this sheet when you complete and hand in your lab.