Unit 7: Earth
Plate Tectonics Simulation
Name _______________________________________________
Date ________________ Period _______ Assignment 40
Notes
Type of Plate
Movement
Description
Drawing
Convergent Plate
Divergent Plate
Transform Plate
Subduction
Plate Tectonics Simulation
Instructions: Go to scientificmiss.weebly.com. Hover the mouse over Physical Science and click on Unit 7: Earth. Click the
Phet: Plate Tectonics button. After the website loads, click the green Run Now! button to start the simulation.
Part I
 1. In the View box, select Density and draw the Legend. Which color represents high density? Which color represents
low density?
Legend
 2. In the View box, select Temperature and draw the Legend. Which color represents high temperature? Which color
represents low temperature?
Legend
 Select Both and check Show Labels.
 3. Which 2 layers of the earth form the tectonic plates?
 4. Observe the My Crust box. List the 3 tectonic plate variables that can be changed in this simulation.



 5. Use the tools in the Toolbox to measure the thickness, density, and temperature of the oceanic and continental
crust.
Crust Type
Thickness
Density
Temperature
Oceanic
km
units
units
Continental
km
units
units
 6. Use the sliders in the My Crust box to match the oceanic crust. Mark an X on the diagram where you set each
variable. Repeat, moving the sliders to match the continental crust.
Oceanic Crust
Continental Crust
 7. Describe how the oceanic crust is different from the continental crust.
 Temperature  Composition  Thickness  8. Move all of the sliders to the middle. Change only the thickness and record the resulting crust type in the table
below. Return the slider to the middle and repeat for composition. Return the slider to the middle and repeat for
temperature.
Crustal Property
Resulting Crust Type
Thickness
thick: (oceanic / continental)
thin: (oceanic / continental)
Composition
iron: (oceanic / continental)
silica: (oceanic / continental)
Temperature
warm: (oceanic / continental)
cool: (oceanic / continental)
Part II
 Click the Plate Motion tab at the top of the screen. In the View box, select Both and check Show Labels and Show Sea
Water.
 9. Investigate convergent plate boundaries by using the green arrows. Report the results in the table below.
Do Volcanoes
Which Plate is
Which Plate
Do Mountains Does a Trench
Form?
Left Crust
Right Crust
More Dense?
Subducts?
Form?
Form?
If yes, note which plate
they form on.
Continental
Continental
Continental
Old Ocean
Continental
Young Ocean
Old Ocean
Young Ocean
 10. Describe the movement of the plates at all convergent plate boundaries.
 11. Density is defined as mass per unit volume. Objects with high density sink while objects with low density float. Using
your knowledge of density, explain why the more dense plate always subducts.
 12. If a volcano forms, on which plate does it always form? Look for patterns in density and subduction.
 13. Investigate divergent plate boundaries by using the red arrows. Describe the movement of the plates at all
divergent plate boundaries.
 14. What is geographic feature is formed at all divergent plate boundaries?
 15. New crust is formed at a divergent plate boundary. Where does this new crust come from?
 16. Investigate transform plate boundaries by using the blue arrows. Describe the movement of the plates at all
transform plate boundaries.