Name:
Period:
Title: Mapping Earthquakes and Volcanoes
Purpose:
To identify the direction of plate movement and plate boundary types around the world. To correlate the
location of earthquakes and volcanoes with the plate boundaries.
Materials:
1. Your “Tectonic Plate Map” (previously graded)
2. The new “World Map” with the latitudinal and longitudinal lines
Prediction (answer this question before you begin):
1. How do you think the location of earthquakes and volcanoes relate to the location of plate boundaries?
Introduction:
For thousands of years we have known of the existence of volcanoes and earthquakes. Pioneered by Alfred
Wegner, the plate tectonic theory has been thought to cause earthquakes and volcanoes. In this activity you will
prove the validity of the plate tectonic theory in relation to the location of earthquakes and volcanoes.
Procedures:
Tectonic Plate Map (previous map):
1. Use an internet resource to identify the direction of the plate movement of all the plates you already identified
on your Tectonic Plate Map. You can simply mark an arrow in the direction the plate is moving.
2. Locate the following boundaries and identify whether or not they are divergent or convergent by marking them
with the following symbols:
a. Divergent Boundaries - draw a dash through the plate boundary
b. Convergent Boundaries - draw a solid arrow (triangle) along the plate boundary in the direction of
subduction
c. Plate boundaries to identify:
1. The boundary between the African Plate and the South American Plate
2. The boundary between the Pacific Plate and the Nazca Plate
3. The boundary between the Indo-Australian Plate and the Eurasian Plate
4. The boundary between the Juan de Fuca Plate and the North American Plate
5. The boundary between the Antarctic Plate and the Indo-Australian Plate
6. The boundary between the Pacific Plate the Philippine Plate
World Map (new map):
1. Using the latitude and longitude data in the tables, map the volcanoes with a blue pencil/pen by marking its
location with a “V” on your World Map.
2. Using the latitude and longitude data in the tables, map the earthquakes with a red pencil/pen by marking its
location with an “E” on your World Map.
Questions:
3. Compare your World Map with your Tectonic Plate Map to answer questions 1-7.
Data:
Volcanos
Name of Volcano
Mauna Loa
Volcano Arenal
Volcano Canlaon
Mt. St. Helens
Mount Vesuvius
Miyake
Krakatau
Askja
Latitude
19 N
10 N
10 S
46 N
41 N
34 N
6S
65 N
Longitude
156 W
85 W
123 E
122 W
14 E
140 E
105 E
16 E
Earthquakes
Latitude
50 S
48 S
67 N
35 N
5S
58 N
Latitude
7N
25 N
31 S
22 N
35 S
43 S
79 N
Longitude
170 W
75 W
14 W
142 E
160 E
142 W
Longitude
77 W
128 E
70 E
80 E
65 E
97 E
7E
Questions:
1. Describe the pattern of earthquakes and volcanoes on Earth.
2. Why do we find earthquakes and volcanoes on tectonic plate boundaries?
3. What part of the United States is most likely to experience earthquakes and volcanoes (tectonic activity)? Why?
4. What two plates cause the Volcano Arenal?
5. What two plates cause the volcano Krakatau?
6. Which volcano is not located near any plate tectonic boundaries? How do you think that volcano formed?
7. Do you think the location of volcanoes and earthquakes supports the theory to plate tectonics? Why or why
not?