Tectonic Plate Movement
Procedure: You will need a computer with internet access, and the latest version of “Java”.
1. Go to this website: http://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/platetectonics
2. Click the green “Run Now!” button under the picture on this screen
3. When prompted, choose to “Run” the application.
4. A simulation will open in a new window and it will look like the picture
on the right.
Part 1:
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Select the “Plate Motion” tab at the top of the screen.
Drag and drop a “Continental Crust” on the left side of the simulation, then
drag and drop a “Young Oceanic Crust” on the right side of the simulation.
Your simulation should now look like the picture on the right.
Pull the lever and answer the following questions:
1. What type of boundary was created (divergent, convergent, or transform?)
2. What begins to happen under the continental crust after 12 million years?
3. What type(s) of landform(s) are created by this type of boundary?
4. Where would you find a real-world example of this simulation?
Part 2:
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Click “New Crust” at the bottom of the screen
Drag and drop a “Continental Crust” on the left side of the simulation, then
drag and drop a second “Continental Crust” on the right side of the
simulation.
Pull one of the GREEN levers and answer the following questions:
5. What type of boundary was created (divergent, convergent, or transform)?
6. What type(s) of landform(s) are created by this type of boundary?
7. Where would you find a real-world example of this simulation?
Part 3:
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Click “New Crust” at the bottom of the screen
Drag and drop a “Continental Crust” on the left side of the simulation, then drag and drop a second “Continental
Crust” on the right side of the simulation.
Pull one of the RED levers and answer the following questions:
8. What type of boundary was created (divergent, convergent, or transform)?
9. What type(s) of landform(s) are created by this type of boundary?
10. Where would you find a real-world example of this simulation?
Part 4:
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Click “New Crust” at the bottom of the screen
Drag and drop a “Continental Crust” on the left side of the simulation, then drag and drop a second “Continental
Crust” on the right side of the simulation.
Pull one of the BLUE levers and answer the following questions:
11. What type of boundary was created (divergent, convergent, or transform)?
12. What type(s) of landform(s) are created by this type of boundary?
13. Where would you find a real-world example of this simulation?
Part 5:
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Click “New Crust” at the bottom of the screen
Drag and drop a “Young Oceanic Crust” on the left side of the simulation, then drag and drop an “Old Oceanic
Crust” on the right side of the simulation.
Pull the GREEN lever and answer the following questions:
14. What type of boundary was created (divergent, convergent, or transform)?
15. What type(s) of landform(s) are created by this type of boundary?
16. Where would you find a real-world example of this simulation?
Part 6:
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Choose one of the simulations you have already run in parts 1-5. Run the simulation again, but this time, drag
and drop the tools in your “toolbox” (bottom left corner) to different parts of the simulation. Write two things
you learned below: