Name:__________________________________________
Block:__________
TASA- Plate Tectonics
This computer program will take you through the major concepts involved in the Theory of
Plate Tectonics. Be sure to follow the directions and answer the following questions.
4- Earth’s Interior
1. _____________ from Earth’s interior is the major source of energy for the movement of
Earth’s outer shell.
2. What is the diameter of Earth’s inner core? Outer core?
3. What is the thickness of the mantle? Of the crust?
4. What is the composition of the continental crust? Oceanic crust?
5. Which is thicker, oceanic crust or continental crust?
6. Which is denser, oceanic crust or continental crust?
7. What is the asthenosphere? Where is it located?
8. What is the lithosphere? Where is it located?
Take quiz at the end of the section to
check your understanding.
5- Mapping the Ocean Floor
9. How does an echo sounder work?
10. Make the graph of the ocean floor.
11. What is the continental shelf?
12. Where are many oceanic trenches located? What do they typically parallel?
13. Large portions of the ocean basin tend to be __________.
14. What is a rift valley?
Take quiz at the end of the section to
check your understanding.
6- Plate Tectonics- A scientific Revolution Unfolds
15. What are lithospheric plates?
16. Large plates include an entire continent plus ___________________________________.
17. Place and label the plates on the map.
18. What occurs along plate boundaries?
Take quiz at the end of the section to
check your understanding.
7- Divergent Plate Boundaries
19. What happens at divergent boundaries?
20. Most divergent boundaries are located along _______________________________________.
21. As the plates move apart, the gap is filled with _________________________ that oozes up
from the hot mantle below. Gradually this molten rock, called magma, cools to make
________________________________________________________.
22. This mechanism has created the floor of the Atlantic Ocean during the past 160 million years
and is called ______________________________________.
23. What is continental rifting?
24. About how much new crust is formed each year?
Take quiz at the end of the section to
check your understanding.
8- Convergent Plate Boundaries
25. What happens at convergent boundaries?
26. What happens when an ocean plate runs into another ocean plate?
27. What is a subduction zone?
28. What forms when one ocean plate slides under another ocean plate?
29. What happens during the following collisions?
Type of Collision Sketch
Explanation
O-C
O-O
C-C
9- Transform Plate Boundaries
30. What happens at transform boundaries?
31. Is crust made or destroyed at transform boundaries?
32. What is a famous transform boundary?
Example