Plate Boundaries Lab
Name: _____________________
Date: ________
Earthquakes occur every day on Earth. Many of them are too small to be felt by humans, but all of them can tell
us something about our planet. Active volcanoes can do the same.
I.
Problem
Where do most earthquakes and volcanoes tend to occur in relation to plate boundaries?
II
Hypothesis
A.
What areas on Earth do you predict to be the locations of tectonic activity, earthquakes and volcanoes?
B.
Can tectonically active areas be predicted by plotting locations of earthquake epicenters and volcanic
eruptions?
III.
Materials:



World map (with latitude and longitude)
Earthquake and volcano locations
Pencil
Procedures:
1. Use the data to plot the points on the map.
2. For each volcano, draw a small triangle.
3. For each earthquake, draw a small circle.
4. Check off each point on the list as you plot it.
.
IV.
Test Your Hypothesis
Volcano Data: Remember to draw these as small triangles!
Longitude (x-axis)
Latitude (y-axis)
150 W
70 W
120 W
61 W
105 W
75 W
122 W
30 E
30 E
60 E
160 E
37 E
145 E
120 E
14 E
105 E
35 E
70 E
155 W
30 E
60 N
35 S
45 N
15 N
20 N
0
40 N
40 N
40 N
30 N
55 N
3S
40 N
10 S
41 N
5S
15 N
30 S
18 N
15 S
Nearest Plate / Boundary
Plate Boundaries Lab
Name: _____________________
Date: ________
EARTHQUAKE DATA: Remember to draw these as small circles
Longitude (x-axis)
Latitude (y-axis)
120 W
110 E
77 W
88 E
121 E
34 E
74 W
70 W
10 E
85 W
125 E
30 E
140 E
12 E
75 E
150 W
68 W
40 N
5S
4S
23 N
14 S
7N
44 N
30 S
45 N
13 N
23 N
35 N
35 N
46 N
28 N
61 N
47 S
Nearest Plate / Type of
Boundary
V. Analyze Your Data
Now you have plotted the locations of earthquake epicenters and volcanic eruptions: where are the tectonically
active areas on Earth? How does this compare to your hypothesis? How close did your prediction come to the
actual location of tectonically active areas?
VI. State Your Conclusions
1.
Where are most of the world’s earthquakes located in relationship to plate boundaries?
2.
Where are most of the world’s volcanoes located in relationship to plate boundaries?
3.
The picture below shows the continents of North America, South America, Australia, and Asia. The dark
line shows an area surrounding the Pacific Plate called the “Ring of Fire”.
4.
a.
Why do you think this area is called the “Ring of Fire”?
b.
Why do you think there is so much geologic activity (activity having to do with the earth) in this area?
What types of plate boundaries were close to your locations of earthquake epicenters? Volcanic eruptions?
5. What can you conclude about the patterns of earthquakes and volcanoes and plate boundaries?
6. Why are most of the world’s earthquakes and volcanic mountains located along plate boundaries?
Bonus: The Hawaiian Islands were created by volcanoes in the middle of the Pacific Plate. How do scientists
explain these volcanoes that are not near a plate boundary?
Plate Boundaries Lab
Name: _____________________
Date: ________
Plate Boundaries Lab
Name: _____________________
Date: ________