Earthviewer Activity
Directions: Use the links to answer the questions. Don’t just go through the links quickly to finish quicker! Make sure to
answer each question thoroughly because this should serve as a study tool for your test!
1) Go to this link http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/tryit/tectonics/#. Click on the link to the right of the tan egg that says
“Plate Tectonics Activity”. A new window will pop up. In that window…
a. Click on the boxes with arrows and drag them in the respective directions. What do each of these boxes
represent?
b.
Click on the box (1st box from left) with the arrow pointing to the left, and drag the box to the left. What type of
plate boundary is represented?
c.
What forms in the middle of these two plates?
d.
What happens to the size of the ocean during this process?
e.
Click on the box (2nd box from left) with the arrow pointing to the right, and drag the box to the right. What type of
plate boundary is this?
f.
Why does this happen (think density from igneous lab!)?
g.
What will form on the continental plate during this process?
h.
Click on the box (3rd box from left) with the arrow pointing to the right, and drag the box to the right. What type
of plate boundary is represented?
i.
What is created during this process?
j.
Click on the box (4th box from left) with the arrow pointing up, and drag the box up. What type of plate boundary
is represented?
k.
What will likely happen at this boundary when the plates move?
2) Go to this link http://pubs.usgs.gov/gip/dynamic/Vigil.html. Examine the picture and answer the questions.
a. What happens where the 2 oceanic plates converge (2 things)?
b.
What happens where the plates move over a hotspot and which US state was created this way?
c.
What happens when 2 oceanic plates diverge?
d.
What happens when an oceanic and continental plate converge (2 things)?
e.
What happens when 2 continental plates diverge?
f.
What will eventually fill the area between 2 continental plates that have diverged?
DIRECTIONS: Download the “Earthviewer” app onto your I-Pad. Use the Earthviewer app to answer
the following questions.
PART 1 – The Hadean, Archean, and Proterozoic Eons
1. Just like we divide our school day into periods of time, our geologic history is divided into pieces or
chunks of time. There are four main divisions of geologic time. Arrange the following divisions of
geologic time from the biggest to the smallest. Period, Eon, Epoch, Era
2. According to Earthviewer, how old is the earth?
3. What is the name of the Era when the earth was 3 billion years old?
4. When did the first continents appear (approximate year)?
5. When did oxygen first start appearing on the planet (approximate year)?
6. When was the earth first covered in ice (approximate year)?
7. When was the first super continent Rodinia formed (approximate year)?
8. In what Era was the second time the earth was covered in ice?
9. When was the oldest life (approximate year)? What was it?
10. How long was the earth day at 4 billion years?
Earthviewer Activity
DIRECTIONS: Download the “Earthviewer” app onto your I-Pad. Use the Earthviewer app to answer
the following questions.
PART 2 – The Phanerozoic Eon
1. List the three Eras in the Phanerozoic Eon.
2. How many Periods are in the Mesozoic Era?
3. How many major impacts have occurred during the Phanerozoic Eon?
4. What were the lowest and highest oxygen levels during the Phanerozoic Eon?
5. What were the lowest and highest carbon dioxide levels during the Phanerozoic Eon?
6. In what period was the highest oxygen level?
7. Turn the Cities switch on in the VIEW menu. Let’s use NYC as the location closest to us here
in Pennsylvania. During the Cambrian period, was NYC above or below the equator? Were we
above or below water?
8. Move up through the Phanerozoic Eon and keep an eye on NYC. When does it finally reach
the equator (approximate year)? What is the Period?
9. In what period does NYC get uplifted from under water to dry land?
10. What was the name of the largest impact during the Phanerozoic Eon? How large was it?
When did it happen (approximate year)? Where did it happen (approximate location)?
11. After the formation of the Appalachian Mountains on the east cost of the U.S., what period
does the Atlantic Ocean begin to form?
12. Look at the topics on the IN DEPTH list. What is the relationship between oxygen and animal
size?
13. Look at the CHARTS menu. Click “Two Charts” and compare temperature vs. oxygen levels.
What was the coldest average temperature during the Phanerozoic Eon? When and what
period was it?
14. How do the Day Length chart compare with the Luminosity chart (describe the trends on the
graph for both)? Why do you think the days are getting longer?
Part 3 – Modern Earth
1. What has changed during the last 100 years (list all)?
Earthviewer Activity KEY
DIRECTIONS: Download the “Earthviewer” app onto your I-Pad. Use the Earthviewer app to answer
the following questions.
PART ! – The Hadean, Archean, and Proterozoic Eons
1. Just like we divide our school day into periods of time, our geologic history is divided into pieces or
chunks of time. There are four main divisions of geologic time. Arrange the following divisions of
geologic time from the biggest to the smallest. Period, Eon, Epoch, Era
EON – ERA – PERIOD - EPOCH
2. According to Earthviewer, how old is the earth?
4.560 BILLION YEARS
3. What is the name of the Era when the earth was 3 billion years old?
MESOARCHEAN
4. When did the first continents appear (approximate year)?
4.160 BILLION YEARS
5. When did oxygen first start appearing on the planet (approximate year)?
3.050 BILLION YEARS
6. When was the earth first covered in ice (approximate year)?
2.320 BILLION YEARS
7. When was the first super continent Rodinia formed (approximate year)?
2.020 BILLION YEARS
8. In what Era was the second time the earth was covered in ice?
NEO-PROTEROZOIC
9. When was the oldest life (approximate year)? What was it?
3.850 BILLION YEARS
ORGANIC CARBON
10. How long was the earth day at 4 billion years?
17.5 HOURS
Earthviewer Activity
DIRECTIONS: Download the “Earthviewer” app onto your I-Pad. Use the Earthviewer app to answer
the following questions.
PART 2 – The Phanerozoic Eon
1. List the three Eras in the Phanerozoic Eon.
PALEOZOIC, MESOZOIC, CENOZOIC
2. How many Periods are in the Mesozoic Era?
3
3. How many major impacts have occurred during the Phanerozoic Eon?
12
4. What were the lowest and highest oxygen levels during the Phanerozoic Eon?
16.5%
33.2%
5. What were the lowest and highest carbon dioxide levels during the Phanerozoic Eon?
0.02%
0.61%
6. In what period was the highest oxygen level?
CARBONIFEROUS
7. Turn the Cities switch on in the VIEW menu. Let’s use NYC as the location closest to us here
in Pennsylvania. During the Cambrian period, was NYC above or below the equator? Were we
above or below water?
BELOW THE EQUATOR
BELOW WATER
8. Move up through the Phanerozoic Eon and keep an eye on NYC. When does it finally reach
the equator (approximate year)? What is the Period?
285 MILLION YEARS
PERMIAN
9. In what period does NYC get uplifted from under water to dry land?
ORDOVICIAN
10. What was the name of the largest impact during the Phanerozoic Eon? How large was it?
When did it happen (approximate year)? Where did it happen (approximate location)?
CHICXULUB, 180 KM, 65 MILLION YEARS, GULF OF MEXICO
N 21.49 DEG W 89.51 DEG
11. After the formation of the Appalachian Mountains on the east cost of the U.S., what period
does the Atlantic Ocean begin to form?
TRIASSIC (210 MY)
12. Look at the topics on the IN DEPTH list. What is the relationship between oxygen and animal
size?
HIGHER ABOUNTS OF OXYGEN PRODUCES LARGER ANIMALS
13. Look at the CHARTS menu. Click “Two Charts” and compare temperature vs. oxygen levels.
What was the coldest average temperature during the Phanerozoic Eon? When and what
period was it?
11.9 DEG C, 305 MILLION YEARS, CARBONIFEROUS
14. How do the Day Length chart compare with the Luminosity chart (describe the trends on the
graph for both)? Why do you think the days are getting longer?
BOTH ARE INCREASING, THE PLANET’S ROTATION IS SLOWING DOWN
Part 3 – Modern Earth
1. What has changed during the last 100 years (list all)?
TEMPERATURE IS INCREASING,
CARBON DIOXIDE IS INCREASING,
BIODIVERSITY IS DECREASING