Science 8 – Helgeson
Plate Tectonics Lab
Name ________________________ Period ______
Time: 3-4 class periods
Materials: Scissors, Tape, Glue, Colored Pencils, and Construction Paper.
Objectives:
1. Explain how geologists have identified major plate boundaries.
2. Explain how knowledge of plate boundaries can help scientists predict the
location of future earthquakes.
3. Identify different formations caused by various plate boundaries.
Procedure:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Carefully cut out the 14 plates from the handout sheets.
Fit the pieces together, then tape them together on their back sides.
Glue the completed plate puzzle to a sheet of construction paper.
Name the plates. Use page 278 in your text and laminated world maps.
With the help of a globe or other resource locate and label these mountain ranges:
ALPS, CASCADES, ANDES, ROCKIES, APPALACHIANS, HIMALAYAS
and ATLAS. Use brown color.
6. From the list of latitude/longitude coordinates (page 3 of this packet) locate the
following earthquakes/volcanoes. Use a red dot to indicate these.
7. Using colored pencils, mark boundaries with the correct color code.
Code the boundaries as such:
Blue
Convergent
Red
Divergent
Green
Transform
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8. Put a symbol of the cardinal directions on your map.
9. Make a map key to explain the symbols and colors used.
Plates to Name:
Antarctic
African
Arabian
North American
South American
Indo-Australian
Eurasian
Caribbean
Cocos
Scotia
Philippine
Pacific (twice)
Nazca
Juan de Fuca
Latitude
75 N
70 N
45 N
15 N
60 N
45 N
0
30 N
30 N
20 N
0
35 N
35 N
25 N
5N
50 S
15 N
15 N
15 N
50 N
55 N
45 N
20 N
30 S
60 S
35 S
50 S
10 S
30 S
50 S
50 S
40 S
20 S
15 N
5N
15 S
45 S
20 N
45 N
Longitude
0
15 W
40 W
30 W
180 E
130 E
120 E
45 E
75 E
90 E
105 E
30 W
15 E
40 E
60 E
0
55 W
65 W
75 W
170 W
150 W
125 W
105 W
20 W
60 W
120 W
150 W
135 E
165 E
160 E
110 E
80 E
75 E
90 W
75 W
70 W
75 W
155 W
110 W
Science 8 – Helgeson
Name ________________________ Period ______ Number ______
Plate Tectonics Lab Follow-up:
1. What type of plate boundary exists between South America and Africa?
________________________________________________________________________
2. Name the plate that carries India and Australia with it.
________________________________________________________________________
3. In what continent are the Andes Mountains found?
________________________________________________________________________
4. The collision of India with Asia has produced the ___________________ Mountains.
5. What type of plate boundary is found between the South American and Nazca plates?
________________________________________________________________________
6. What plate is Greenland a part of?
________________________________________________________________________
7. What type of plate boundary is found between Africa and Europe?
________________________________________________________________________
8.
A. Is the distance between North America and Europe increasing or decreasing?
B. Is the distance between North America and Asia increasing or decreasing?
9. What direction is Australia moving?
________________________________________________________________________
10. What continent are the Appalachian Mountains found on?
________________________________________________________________________
11. The collision of what 2 plates created the Andes Mountains?
__________________________________ and __________________________________
12. What island lies right on top of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge?
________________________________________________________________________
13. Name one of the two small plates that separate North and South America.
________________________________________________________________________
14. Notice where all the earthquakes/volcanoes have been plotted. What is it about their
location that is unique?
________________________________________________________________________
15. Identify the boundary type along the following plate borders.
T = Transform
C = Convergent
D = Divergent
__________ A. Scotia and South American Plates
__________ B. African and Eurasian Plates
__________ C. African and South American Plates
__________ D. Pacific and North American Plates
__________ E. Nazca and Pacific Plates
__________ F. Nazca and South American Plates
__________ G. Indo-Australian and Antarctic Plates
__________ H. Caribbean and South American Plates
__________ I. North American and Eurasian Plates
__________ J. Indo-Australian and Eurasian Plates
Matching: Match the mountain range to the crustal plate where it is found.
__________ 16. Alps
A. Eurasian
__________ 17. Rockies
B. Indo-Australian
__________ 18. Andes
C. North American
__________ 19. Cascades
D. South American
__________ 20. Himalayas
E. Nazca
__________ 21. Appalachians
F. Cocos
22. Mountains are usually associated with which type of plate boundary?
________________________________________________________________________
23. Subduction is associated with which type of boundary?
________________________________________________________________________
24. Does the Pacific Plate have any boundary that displays divergence?
________________________________________________________________________
Name these locations:
25. 64*N, 20*W __________________________________________________ (island)
26. 15*N, 130*E ___________________________________________________ (plate)
27. 20*N, 60*E ___________________________________________________ (plate)
28. 60*S, 45*W ____________________________________________________ (plate)
29. Why are there no oceanic plates over 200 million years old while continental plates
can be billions of years old?