8.ESS2.3-Powered from Below: How Earth’s Interior Moves the Plates-Lesson Slides/notes

Hotspot

Which point is the crust?

Match

Match the following to the correct letter

• The thinnest layer

• The layer responsible for generating the magnetic field

• The layer that is composed of magma

• The hottest layer

1

3

2

4

• 1

• 3

• 2

• 4

Labelling

Label the Layers of the Earth.

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

Asthenosphere

Mantle

Outer Core

Inner Core

Lithosphere

Continental Crust

Oceanic Crust

Hotspot

Which point is the outer core?

Features of the Earth

• The Earth is made up of three main layers that vary in size, composition, temperature, and pressure

  • The Crust

  • The Mantle

  • The Core​

• Pressure: The force that presses on a certain area

  • Pressure is greater deeper inside the Earth than outside​

• The temperature inside the Earth increases as the depth increases

The Crust

• The Crust: The layer of rock that forms the Earth's outer skin

  • Solid rock that includes both dry land and the ocean floor

  • is 5-80 Km thick

• Main elements in the crust are oxygen and silicon

• Oceanic Crust: The crust beneath the ocean

  • Basalt:​ a dark fine grained rock that tends to sit on top of the oceanic crust

• Continental Crust: The crust that forms the continents

  • Contains many rocks, but mainly granite

    • Granite: A Light color rock with coarse grains

The Mantle

• The Mantle: A layer of hot rock underneath the crust

  • Extremely hot, but still solid

  • nearly 3, 000 Km thick

• Divided into layers

  • The lithosphere: a combination of the uppermost part of the mantle and lower crust (100 Km Thick)

    • Is strong and rigid

  • The Asthenosphere: much less rigid layer, but still solid

  • The Mesosphere: hotter, but more rigid and stiff

    • Contains the transition zone and the lower mantle

The Core

• The Core: The layer under the Mantle at the center of the Earth, made up mostly of the metals iron and nickel

  • Two parts

    • A liquid outer core (2,258 km thick)

    • A solid inner core (1,222 km radius)

      • Extreme pressure squeezes the atoms so much they cannot spread out to become liquid

  • May also contain oxygen, sulfur, and silicon

The Core & Earth's Magnetic Field

• ​Scientists think movements in the core create the Earth's magnetic field

  • The planet acts like a bar magnet

  • Magnets point towards the magnetic poles of the Earth, not the geographic poles​

Multiple Choice

Earth's Thin outer layer of solid rock is called the ______

• Crust

• Mantle

• Inner core

• Outer Core

Multiple Choice

What do geologists call the crust and uppermost mantle

• Lithosphere

• Asthenosphere

• Mesosphere

• Outer Core

hot

energy

movement

still

Multiple Choice

Which is a source of heat that drives convection cycles in Earth’s interior?

• friction from tectonic plate movements
• heat from volcanic eruptions
• solar energy absorbed by the Earth
• internal nuclear reactions in the core

Multiple Choice

Examine the diagram of Earth’s layers.

Which layer is the mantle?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

How do the plates ACTUALLY MOVE?

• Convection currents in the asthenosphere drive the movement of lithospheric plates

How does a convection cell occur?

• Hot magma in the asthenosphere begins to rise, similar to the way hot air rises.

• As it rises to the top of the asthenosphere, it cools and becomes more dense.

• This cooler, dense magma then sinks again. As it sinks, it gets warmer, until the process begins again

• This movement of magma is what drives the plates to move.

Multiple Choice

The movement of the tectonic plates is caused by

• the rotation of the Earth

• convection currents in the Asthenosphere

• the gravity of the iron-nickel core

• the Moho discontinuity

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the Earth consists of tectonic plates?

• asthenosphere

• mantle

• mesosphere

• lithosphere

Multiple Choice

Tectonic plates “float” on

• the lithosphere

• the mantle

• the ocean

• the asthenosphere

Asthenosphere

rises

convection

sinks

convection

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the Earth would best be described as "plastic and flowing"?

• mantle
• crust
• mesosphere
• asthenosphere

Multiple Choice

What is the primary cause for continental drift, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions?

• pressure from tectonic plates
• melting of surface rocks
• shifts in ocean currents
• convection currents in the mantle

Multiple Choice

How do temperature differences in the layers of Earth move magma?

• a

• b

• c

• d

Multiple Choice

What occurs as a result of convection currents in Earth’s mantle?

• a

• b

• c

• d

Multiple Choice

A student looks at an image showing the different layers of Earth beneath the Atlantic Ocean.

What process directly moves the plates?

• a

• b

• c

• d

Multiple Choice

How does faulting and folding on Earth’s surface most likely occur?

• Movement of the inner core causes the movement of the outer core.
• Movement of the mantle causes the movement of the outer core.
• Movement of the asthenosphere causes the movement of the lithosphere.
• Movement of the lithosphere causes the movement of the asthenosphere.

Multiple Choice

Reference the image provided:

Which layers are matched with the correct properties?

• A

• B

• C

• D

The lithosphere is broken into Tectonic Plates

• The lithosphere is made from the crust and the uppermost part of the mantle

• The lithosphere is rigid, brittle rock

• These plates float on the asthenosphere

How do the plates ACTUALLY MOVE?

• Convection currents in the asthenosphere drive the movement of lithospheric plates

How does a convection cell occur?

• Hot magma in the asthenosphere begins to rise, similar to the way hot air rises.

• As it rises to the top of the asthenosphere, it cools and becomes more dense.

• This cooler, dense magma then sinks again. As it sinks, it gets warmer, until the process begins again

• This movement of magma is what drives the plates to move.

Multiple Choice

Tectonic plates consist of

• continental crust

• mesospheric crust

• both continental and oceanic crust

• oceanic crust

Multiple Choice

The idea that the continents were once part of a single landmass that broke apart and

moved is

• Continental Drift

• Tectonic Plates

• Transform

Multiple Choice

The region where two lithospheric plates meet

• Continental Drift

• Plate tectonics

• Plate Boundaries

Multiple Choice

Pangaea was an ancient supercontinent made up of...

• America, Greenland, and Europe

• Antarctica, India, and America

• all of Earth’s continents

• South Africa, India, Australia, and South America

Multiple Choice

The movement of the tectonic plates is caused by

• the rotation of the Earth

• convection currents in the Asthenosphere

• the gravity of the iron-nickel core

• the Moho discontinuity

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the Earth consists of tectonic plates?

• asthenosphere

• mantle

• mesosphere

• lithosphere

Multiple Choice

The fact that similar fossils are found on both sides of the ocean is evidence of

• magnetic reversal

• global positioning

• continental drift

• oceanic drift

Lithosphere

float

transfer

move

Multiple Choice

Which layer of Earth causes the movements of tectonic plates?

• mantle
• lithosphere
• asthenosphere
• upper mantle

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the Earth would best be described as "brittle and rigid"?

• upper mantle
• lithosphere
• outer mantle
• mantle

Multiple Choice

Which layer is the least dense?

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Multiple Choice

What factor causes the differences in the physical nature of rocks in the lithosphere and the asthenosphere?

• The pressure is lower in the asthenosphere than in the lithosphere.
• The thickness of the asthenosphere is less than the lithosphere.
• The temperature is lower in the lithosphere than in the asthenosphere.
• The density of the lithosphere is higher than the asthenosphere.

Multiple Choice

How are the lithosphere and the asthenosphere similar?

• They are both part of the core.
• They both have different compositions.
• They are both part of the mantle.
• They both exist in the atmosphere.

Multiple Choice

The image shows Earth’s lithosphere and asthenosphere with several individual layers labeled.

Which layer(s) make(s) up the lithosphere?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

Use the information to answer the question.

Which statements are true?

Multiple Choice

What happens where an oceanic plate converges with a continental plate?

• The denser oceanic plate slides on top of the less dense continental plate.

• The denser oceanic plate slides under the less dense continental plate.

• The less dense oceanic plate slides past the denser continental plate.

• The less dense oceanic plate slides under the denser continental plate.

Multiple Choice

What kind of plate movement created the Himalayan Mountains?

• convergence of oceanic crust with continental crust.

• divergence between two continental crustal plates.

• transform movement between oceanic and continental crustal plates.

• convergence of two plates composed of continental crust.

Multiple Choice

What type of boundary occurs where two plates move together, causing one plate to descend into the mantle beneath the other plate?

• transform fault boundary

• convergent boundary

• divergent boundary

• hotspots

Multiple Choice

Deep ocean trenches are associated with:

• mid-ocean ridge systems.

• transform fault boundaries.

• subduction zones.

• rift zones.

Multiple Choice

Rift valleys, like the Great African Rift Valley, form as a result of:

• crustal compression.

• divergent boundaries

• convergent boundaries

• subduction zones

Multiple Choice

A mid-ocean ridge is an example of what type of plate boundary?

• convergent zone

• divergent zone

• transform zone

• subduction zone

Multiple Choice

The youngest rocks on the ocean floor are typically located near what feature?

• a mid-ocean ridge

• a subduction zone

• on an island arc

• a deep-sea trench

Multiple Choice

A rift valley is evidence of which kind of plate boundary?

• convergent boundary

• transform boundary

• divergent boundary

• hotspot

Multiple Choice

What kind of plate boundary occurs where two plates grind past each other without destroying or producing new lithosphere?

• divergent boundary

• hotspots

• convergent boundary

• transform boundary

Multiple Choice

Which type of plate boundary is in the southern California region?

• passive margin

• divergent boundary

• convergent boundary

• transform boundary

Convergent

Divergent

Transform

plate

divergent

convergent

transform

Multiple Choice

The diagram shows a type of tectonic plate boundary.

What type of plate boundary is shown?

• oceanic-continental transform plate boundary
• continental-oceanic divergent plate boundary
• oceanic-oceanic convergent plate boundary
• oceanic-continental convergent plate boundary

Multiple Choice

What is the term for the region indicated by an X in the diagram?

THINK: One plate is moving UNDER the other plate.

• A

• B

• C

• D

Alfred concluded that all the evidence he found showed that; once there was a massive supercontinent that all the others where part of .
Pangea

Wegener’s Idea

Multiple Choice

What is pangea?

• Pangaea is a type of extinct bird species
• Pangaea is a type of flower found in South America
• Pangaea is a famous painting by Leonardo da Vinci
• Pangaea was a supercontinent that existed about 300 million years ago.

• Pangea comes from the Greek word meaning “All Lands”.

• It reached from pole to pole.

• Was centered over where Africa now lies.

What is Pangea?

Multiple Choice

In Greek what does Pangea mean?

• Entire Earth
• Complete Globe
• Whole World
• All Lans

• About 200 million years ago Pangea started to break a part.

• 18o million years- Pangea is now Gondwanaland and Laurasia.

• 65 million years - Most major continentes have move apart.

• Present - the continents reach modern positions.

Broken Lands

Multiple Choice

What did the earth look like as Pangea?

• One Large landmass, one large Ocean

• Pangea was a barren desert with no vegetation
• Pangea was a collection of separate continents
• Pangea was a small island surrounded by water

Multiple Choice

How could the earth have looked 180 million years ago?

• The earth 180 million years ago would have been covered in ice and snow
• The earth 180 million years ago would have been a lush tropical paradise
• The earth could have split into two smaller continents.

• The earth 180 million years ago would have been completely underwater

Multiple Choice

About how long ago did most of the major continents become separate?

• 65 million years ago

• 50 million years ago
• 500 million years ago
• 1 billion years ago

• In the 1950’s the sea floor was mapped, was not flat and smooth

• Mid-Ocean Ridges were found

  • Underwater mountain ranges

  • Circle the earth like stitches on a baseball.

Sea floor and Pangea

Drag and Drop

The under water mountain range that are like the stitches on a baseball around the earth​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Mid-Ocean Ridges

Mid-Sea Ridges

Underwater Ridges

• Ridges formed on cracks in the crust

• Molten rock (magma) rises through the cracks, and cools.

• New oceanic crust is made.

• Sea floor slowly spreads.

• These areas are called “Spreading Centers”

Sea Floor spreading

Drag and Drop

The area where new oceanic crust is made and causes the the sea floor to spread​

Placeholder

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

Spreading Centers

Subduction Zones

Trenches

• Age of the sea floor come from rocks in spreading centers.

• A special ship called Glomar Challenger dug up the rocks

  • Younger rocks are closer to the ridge, older rocks are farther and deeper away.

• Ocean crust is 160 - 180 Million yrs, Continental Crust 4 Billion yrs old.

Age of the sea floor

Sea-floor

divergent

mantle

outward

evidence

Multiple Choice

The Mid-Atlantic Ridge located along the floor of the Atlantic Ocean spreads at the rate of 2 to 5 centimeters per year, which creates a deep rift valley along its crest. The East Pacific Rise located along the floor of the Pacific Ocean spreads at a faster rate and does not create any rift valley.

What is the nearest possible rate at which the seafloor is spreading at the East Pacific Rise in the Pacific Ocean?

• 6-16 centimeters per year
• 2-5 meters per year
• 10-20 centimeters per year
• 4-8 centimeters per year

Multiple Choice

Reference the image attached and to determine which type of tectonic force is responsible for this expansion.

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

Look at the image provided:

What topographic feature's formation is associated with the separation of North and South America from Europe and Africa?

• A

• B

• C

• D

What is Inside of Earth?

• The Lithosphere is made of the upper mantle and crust

• The mantle is made of three different areas. It's the top one, Asthenosphere that the crust moves on top of.

What Causes the Plates to Move on the Asthenosphere?

• Heat from within the mantle rises, cools as it reaches the top, and falls back down.

• This concept, Convection, slowly moves the plates on top to move.

Multiple Choice

Which mechanical layer does convection occur in that pulls the tectonic plates?

• Crust

• Core

• Asthenosphere

• Mesophere

Multiple Choice

Who proposed the theory of plate tectonics?

• Albert Einstein

• Alfred Wegener

• Isaac Newton

• The Mandalorian

If we cannot see Plate Tectonics happening, how do we know it's real?

There are a few evidence, or proofs that support Plate Tectonic Theory.

1. The continents fit together almost like puzzle pieces forming Pangaea (one super-continent)

Evidences for Plate Tectonics

• Fossils on different continents are similar to fossils on continents that were once connected. 

• Most continental and oceanic floor features are the result of geological activity and earthquakes along plate boundaries. 

Evidences cont.

• Most distributions of rocks within Earth's crust, including minerals, fossil fuels, and energy resources, are a direct result of the history of plate motions and collisions and the corresponding changes in the configurations of the continents and ocean basins.

Multiple Select

Which of the following are evidences for Continental Drift?

• The continents fit together almost like puzzle pieces forming Pangaea (one super-continent).

• Fossils on different continents are similar to fossils on continents that were once connected

• Astronomers have broken down this cycle into four primary Moon phases: New Moon, First Quarter, Full Moon, and Last Quarter. Gibbous, Waning Gibbous, and Waning Crescent.

• Most continental and oceanic floor features are the result of geological activity and earthquakes along plate boundaries.

Multiple Choice

The theory of plate tectonics helps explain which of the following?

• the symbiotic relationship between tubeworms and bacteria

• the extinction of the dinosaurs

• the movement of continents and the occurrence of volcanoes and earthquakes

Multiple Choice

What is the driving force behind plate tectonics?

• convection currents in the mantle

• ocean currents

• wind currents

• hurricanes

Multiple Choice

According to the Plate Tectonic theory, how is new oceanic crust being formed?

• Earthquakes

• Seafloor Spreading

• Faults

Multiple Choice

The theory of plate tectonics helps explain the location of volcanoes and earthquakes. Which of these also describes the current theory of plate tectonics?

• It combines elements of continental drift and seafloor spreading

• it suggests that the lithosphere is divided into plates

• All of the above

Multiple Choice

The arrows on the accompanying map show the apparent changes in the position of Earth's magnetic North Pole throughout geologic time, as recorded in the igneous rocks of Europe and North America.  This evidence best supports the concept of

• the heliocentric solar system

• the Coriolis effect

• planet orbit eccentricity

• plate tectonics

Multiple Choice

The large coal fields found in Pennsylvania provide evidence that the climate of the northeastern United States was much warmer during the Carboniferous Period.  This change in climate over time is best explained by the

• movements of tectonic plates

• effects of seasons

• changes in the environment caused by humans

• evolution of life

Evidence

evidence

support

revise

Multiple Choice

Marine geologists discovered the formation of mid-oceanic ridges. Years later using radioactive dating, they found that the rock layers located at the mid-oceanic ridge were much younger than anywhere else on the oceanic floor. They claimed that this was due to the movement of tectonic plates.

Which explanation best supports the marine geologists’ claim?

• When plates move away from each other, the magma rises up and solidifies, forming new rock layers.
• When oceanic plates sink, they melt and form magma chambers.
• When plates shift sideways, they cause tsunamis in the ocean.
• When tectonic plates collide, they create mountain ranges.

Multiple Choice

The theory of plate tectonics implies that Earth’s crust is composed of many lithospheric plates that are in gradual, but continuous movement. Which statement explains the movement of these lithospheric plates?

• The solid outer crust is pushed by wind currents causing the movement of the lithospheric plates.
• The underlying mantle layer is molten where convection currents cause the movement of the lithospheric plates.
• The Earth's core generates heat that directly moves the lithospheric plates.
• The gravitational forces from nearby planets influence the movement of the lithospheric plates.

Multiple Choice

Read the information in the chart.

Which evidence supports the information in the chart?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

What can be inferred about the tectonic plates?

• A

• B

• C

• D

Multiple Choice

What do Layers 1 and 2 represent?

• A

• B

• C

• D