Earth Systems and Sustainability
Dr. Debrah Fine
La Jolla Country Day School
Study Guide for Trimester 2: Test 1
 The first test of the trimester is on Wednesday or Thursday, January 23nd/ 24th, 2013.
 We will review in class on Friday, January 18th and Tuesday, January 22nd.
 I will be available for extra help on Tuesday January 22nd after school.
Here is a list of items you should review:
Review the last quiz:
Review your mistakes on the last quiz. Much of the material on the quiz is essential for
understanding the material that followed. Review your study procedure for the last quiz and
make any necessary adjustments.
Remember to:
 Use flashcards
 Study with a friend and explain things to each other
 Start your studying early and ask questions if needed
Readings and Homework Questions:
The readings are all called “Digging Deeper” and the questions are the “Check Your
Understanding” questions on the side of the page. These were handed out in class, but you
can download them on the class website as well.
The date below matches the date the homework was assigned.
2012-12-17:
2012-12-17:
2013-01-07:
2013-01-08:
2013-01-14:
2013-01-15:
An Earthquake in Your Community
How Big Was It?
An Earthquake History of Your Community
Ring of Fire Student Guide and Questions
Lessening Earthquake Damage
Mystery of the Far Flung Fossils: Investigating Plate Tectonics
Activities:
1. Ring of Fire Activity: Understanding the relationship between plate tectonics and
geological features, volcanoes, and earthquakes.
2. Mystery of the Far Flung Fossils: Investigating Plate Tectonics
Notes:
Review your notes from class including homework corrections.
Videos
1. Evidence for Pangaea (concept also covered in readings and activities):
https://www.khanacademy.org/science/cosmology-and-astronomy/earth-historytopic/plate-techtonics/v/pangaea
2 Study Guide
Last Quiz:
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Lithosphere versus asthenosphere
Convection currents in the asthenosphere driving plate motion
How density differences drive convection currents
Density, mass, and volume calculations
Types of plate boundaries:
o Divergent
o Convergent
o Transform
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Types of convergent plate boundaries:
o Ocean-ocean convergence
o Ocean-continent convergence
o Continent-continent collision
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Geological features associated with the different types of convergent plate
boundaries:
o Ocean-ocean convergence: subduction occurs resulting in a trench and
volcanoes (volcanoes become volcanic islands)
 Example: Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska
o Ocean-continent convergence: subduction occurs resulting in a trench and
volcanoes (volcanoes become volcanic mountain arcs)
 Example: Andes Mountains in South America
o Continent-continent collision: no subduction occurs due to low density of
continental crust. Collision results in mountains.
 Example: Himalayan Mountains (e.g. Mount Everest)
***YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT PLATES WITH CONTINENTAL CRUST ON TOP
DO NOT SUBDUCT BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT DENSE ENOUGH TO SINK
INTO THE ASTHENOSHPERE***
Material Since Last Quiz
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Earthquakes:
o Scientific definition and cause of earthquakes
o Focus versus epicenter
o Types of plate boundaries and which ones lead to earthquakes
o Magnitude versus intensity
o Distribution of earthquakes and how this supports the theory of plate
tectonics
o Earthquake damage (primary hazards, secondary hazards).
o Types of seismic waves and differences between them
Earth Systems and Sustainability
Dr. Debrah Fine
La Jolla Country Day School
Ring of Fire Mapping activity:
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Ring of Fire:
o What is it?
o What plate does it surround?
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Alfred Wegener’s Theory of Continental Drift
o What kinds of data did Alfred Wegener use to develop his Theory of
Continental Drift?
o Why didn’t other scientists believe him?
o How is the Theory of Continental Drift different than the Theory of Plate
Tectonics?
Mystery of the Far Flung Fossils Activity:
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Understand how the Theory of Plate Tectonics is supported by fossil evidence
and be able to determine which continents were connected at a certain time
based on the fossils present at that time.
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Be able to identify the pieces of evidence that support the Theories of
Continental Drift and Plate Tectonics
o Fossil evidence (continents that were connected had similar fossils from the
same time period)
o Glacial grooves (advancing glaciers carved grooves into the continents and
the pattern only makes sense when the continents are all connected into one
land mass)
o Mammals evolved independently (there are very different mammals on
the different continents and mammals evolved after the continents had
moved apart, so the differences we see in modern mammals supports these
theories)
o Closely related species exist on continents that were previously
connected (which suggests that they shared a common ancestor when the
continents were connected and then evolved to survive in the differing
conditions on the continents after they drifted apart).
o Shape (the continents fit together like puzzle pieces)
o Global positioning system (GPS) data (confirms that the
continents/plates are in fact moving, and if you “rewind” this movement, the
continents move back together into one land mass)