Name _________________________ Lab section ___________

EAS 1600 Lab 08 Fall 2018

“Plate Tectonics”

Objectives
In this assignment we will review the basic principles of plate tectonics. We will look at
the current and past tectonic plate configuration and movements to understand the dynamic
nature of the Earth’s interior and geological features of the crust. We will also perform a case
study of an earthquake and a fault movement. At the end of this lab, you should be able to:
• determine the location and magnitude of an earthquake based on a seismogram.
• identify tectonic plates and plate boundaries on the physical map of the Earth;
• identify the different types of plate boundaries and the geological features associated with
them;
• understand how the movement of plates leads to the occurrence of natural disasters such
as earthquakes and volcanism;
• list the most important pieces of evidence that support Wegener’s continental drift
theory.

Theoretical background
Ever since the first reasonably accurate world maps were constructed in the 1600s, people have
proposed models to explain the origin of Earth’s mountain belts, continents, ocean basins, rifts,
and trenches. For example, some people proposed that surficial processes, such as catastrophic
global floods, had carved our ocean basins and deposited mountains of gravel. Others proposed
that global relief was the result of what is now called tectonism: large-scale movements and
deformation of Earth’s crust. What kinds of tectonic movements occur on Earth, and what
process(es) could cause them?
German scientist, Alfred Wegener noticed that the shapes of the continents matched up like
pieces of a global jig-saw puzzle. In 1915, he hypothesized that all continents were once part of a
single supercontinent, Pangaea, parts of which drifted apart to form the smaller modern
continents. However, most scientists were immediately skeptical of Wegener’s Continental
Drift Hypothesis, because he could not think of a natural process that could force the continents
to drift apart. These “anti-drift” scientists viewed continents as stationary landforms that could
rise and fall but not drift sideways.
The anti-drift scientists argued that it was impossible for continents to drift or plow through
solid oceanic rocks. They also reasoned that Earth was cooling from an older semi-molten state,
so it must be shrinking. Their Shrinking Earth Hypothesis suggested that the continents were
moving together rather than drifting apart. As Earth’s crust shrank into less space, flat rock
layers in ocean basins would have been squeezed and folded between the continents (as observed
in the Alps). Two other German scientists, Bernard Lindemann (in 1927) and Otto Hilgenberg
(in 1933), independently evaluated the Continental Drift and Shrinking Earth Hypotheses. Both
men agreed with Wegener’s notion that the continents seemed to fit together like a jigsaw puzzle,
but they also felt that the ocean basins were best explained by a new Expanding Earth
Hypothesis (that they developed and published separately). According to this hypothesis, Earth
was once much smaller (about 60% of its modem size) and covered entirely by granitic crust. As

1
Earth expanded, the granitic crust split apart into the shapes of the modern continents and
basaltic ocean crust was exposed between them (and covered by ocean).
During the 1960s more data emerged in favor of the Continental Drift Hypothesis. For
example, geologists found that it was not only the shapes (outlines) of the continents that
matched up like pieces of a Pangaea jig-saw puzzle. Similar bodies of rock and the patterns they
make at Earth’s surface also matched up like a picture on the puzzle pieces. Abundant studies
also revealed that ocean basins were generally younger than the continents. An American
Geologist, Harry Hess, even developed a Seafloor-Spreading Hypothesis to explain this.
According to Hess’ hypothesis, seafloor crust is created along mid-ocean ridges above regions of
upwelling magma from Earth’s mantle. As new magma rises, it forces the old seafloor crust to
spread apart on both sides of the ridge and cools to form new crust. The seafloor spreads apart in
this way until it encounters a trench, whereupon it descends back into the mantle. Hess’
hypothesis was supported by studies showing that Earth has a thin, rigid lithosphere underlain by
a plastic asthenosphere. Earthquakes occur below Earth’s surface wherever ocean crust is
created and wherever it descends back into the mantle. Zones of abundant earthquake and
volcanic activity are also concentrated along cracks in the lithosphere that are boundaries (plate
boundaries) between rigid stable sheets of lithosphere, called lithospheric plates. Thus, by the
end of the 1960s a new hypothesis of global tectonics had emerged called the Plate Tectonics
Hypothesis. It is now the prevailing model of Earth’s global tectonism.
According to the developing Plate Tectonics Model, the continents are parts of rigid
lithospheric plates that move about relative to one another. Plates form and spread apart along
divergent boundaries such as mid-ocean ridges (Figure 1a), where magma rises up between two
plates, forces them to spread apart, and cools to form new rock on the edges of both plates. Plates
are destroyed along convergent boundaries, where the edge of one plate may subduct (descend
beneath the edge of another plate) back into the mantle (Figure 1b) or both plates may crumple
and merge to form a mountain belt. Plates slide past one another along transform fault
boundaries, where plates are neither formed nor destroyed (Figure 1c). The Plate Tectonics
Model does not require the Earth to shrink or expand in size. Earth’s size can remain constant,
because there are processes that simultaneously form and destroy crust (lithospheric plates).
Most evidence for plate tectonics has come from the detailed observations, maps, and

Figure 1a. Sea floor spreading occurs at divergent plate margins which generates new oceanic
crust.

2
 Figure 1b. Mountain building occurs at convergent plate margins.

Figure 1c. Plates slide laterally past each other at transform plate boundaries.
measurements made by field geologists studying Earth’s surface directly. However, some of the
best modern evidence of lithospheric plate motions is now obtained remotely with satellites
orbiting thousands of kilometers above Earth’s surface. Several different kinds of satellite
technologies and measurement techniques are used, but the most common is the Global
Positioning System (GPS).

Now let’s have a closer look at the geologic features found at plate boundaries.

3
Divergent boundaries.

Figure 2. Formation of the Mid-ocean ridge at divergent plate boundary, which progresses
through the following sequence:

A. Continental rifting is thought to occur where tensional forces stretch and thin the crust. As a
result, molten rock ascends from the asthenosphere and initiates volcanic activity at the
surface. Note that as the mantle material rises and cools, the resultant magma is reduced in
heavier elements, therefore producing oceanic compositions and not mantle compositions.

B. As the crust is pulled apart, large slabs of rock sink, generating a rift valley.

C. Further spreading generates a narrow sea.

4
 D. Eventually, wide ocean basin and ridge systems are created.
Convergent boundaries.

Figure 3. Convergent plate boundaries: at these boundaries two plates collide, so one plate is
subducted under another one. There exist three types of convergent boundaries:
A. Oceanic-continental. Volcanoes and mountains are present on the overriding plate, forming
a continental volcanic arc. Trench forms close to the continental margin. Higher density of
the oceanic crust leads to subduction of the oceanic plate under the continental plate.
B. Oceanic-oceanic. Presence of trench (which marks the boundary) and a volcanic island arc
are the most prominent features of this kind of boundary. Aleutian Islands are a typical
example of an oceanic-oceanic plate boundary.
C. Continental-continental. Most of the non-volcanic continental mountains are created by
collision of two continental plates. The best-known example is Himalayan Mountains,
created by collision of Indian and Asian plates. Densities of the plates are usually similar,

5
 therefore only limited subduction occurs. Note that it is the older oceanic crust that
subducts, not the contintental crust – which effectively “piles up.”
Transform boundaries.
These are the boundaries that are not associated with production or destruction of the crust.
Also called transform fault boundary, or strike-slip boundary, this type of margin separates plates
that are moving mostly laterally, with very little vertical displacement. Most of the transform
boundaries are short in length compared to convergent or divergent boundaries. Most often
transform boundaries are found between sections of the ocean divergent boundaries that are
moving at slightly different velocities, as shown in Figure 1. Out of the few long transform
boundaries, the San Andreas Transform is the most famous; it separates the Pacific and North
American plates that are sliding side-by side.
Figure 4 (next page) depicts the world’s existing tectonic plates, direction of their movements,
and the most current data on their relative velocities. Note that earthquakes are concentrated
along the plate boundaries, since most earthquakes are caused by slipping tectonic plates.

Earthquakes. An earthquake is a natural phenomenon that is generated by sudden

release of accumulated energy produced by the movement of the tectonic plates.
Earthquakes with magnitude larger than 3 units on the Richter scale are easily perceived
by people through shaking and movements of the ground. These movements are
propagating seismic waves that carry the energy generated by the earthquake to long
distances. There are three main types of seismic waves: S- waves, P-waves and surface
waves. Figure 5 shows a typical seismogram – a recording of the surface movements.

Figure 5. Typical record of seismic waves registered by seismograph.

Seismic waves travel through the Earth at different velocities: surface waves are the
slowest, S-wave (secondary, or shear wave) is slightly faster, and P-wave (primary wave)
is the fastest. Seismic wave velocities depend on the density and properties of the
propagation media. The typical value of these velocities is several kilometers per second.

6
Online exercises/activities
• Various Earth Science short animations:
http://wwnorton.com/college/geo/earth4/animations.aspx
• Earth History timeline (used in lab):
http://www.handprint.com/PS/GEO/geoevo.html#Camb

7
Figure 4. Main plates and plate boundaries.
8
 Lab Activity
Part 1: Continental Drift
Procedure:
1. Go to the website at the following address and press play to observe the plate motions:
http://www.phschool.com/atschool/phsciexp/active_art/continental_drift/

2. Note how the arrangement of the landmass and oceans changes through time. To stop
the program, click on the "pause/play" button on your browser; note that the animation
automatically and temporarily pauses at major geological times.

3. This website allows you to test your ability to identify the continents at major geologic
points in time by selecting a date on the left of the webpage.

Question 1. Which continents bound/touch Antarctica 225 million years ago? (2 pts)

Question 2. Pangaea formed from what two supercontinents? (2 pts)

4. Open another window in your browser and go to the following website:

http://www.handprint.com/PS/GEO/geoevo.html#Camb

5. Note the time interval maps noting the time period and any significant features and
occurrences; use the figure below for reference on the timeline.

9
Question 3. Outline the sequence of geological and tectonic events that occurred on the
Earth's surface from ~580 million years ago to the present. Highlight 2 significant events
in each of the following: Palezoic (540 – 250 Mya), Mesozoic (250 – 65 Mya), and
Cenezoic (65 Mya – present). Use the space provided below for your answer. You may
choose to prepare a timeline or list the events in bullet format. (6 Pts.)

Question 4. Using the images along side the descriptions, when did landmasses start to
look like present-day continents (not necessarily in the present-day orientation, but
outlines of present-day continents)? (2 Pts.)

Question 5. Two mountain building events formed the Appalachian Mountains. When
doe these occur and what was the cause of the later mountain building event? (2 Pts.)

Part 2: Introduction to Plate Tectonics

Seismic profiles can provide information beyond the large-scale interior structure of the
Earth that you did in the previous lab. Global distributions reveal where there is
significant and consistent movement – where parts of the Earth are broken into
boundaries with two (sometimes three) plates. On more localized scales, the depth of
earthquakes can be used to determine where movement is occurring vertically in the
Earth.

10
Figure 6: Global map of Earthquake locations, depths, and magnitudes. Credit: International
Seismological Centre (http://www.isc.ac.uk/iscgem/overview.php, access Aug. 2018)
Observations and Initial Analyses:

Question 6. Given that lots of earthquakes indicate movement and seismic activity along
boundary, trace out where you think are 4 major plates on the Figure 5. (4 pts)

Question 7. There are a couple places that show incredibly deep earthquakes. What does
that imply about those particular areas? (2 pts)

Question 8. What type of boundary do the deepest earthquakes correspond to and why
does this make sense? Hint: reference figures 2 – 4. (2 pts)

Question 9. Use Figure 7, showing the ages of oceanic lithosphere, to answer the

11
following questions (2 pts ea).
a. Using the oceanic crust in the Atlantic Ocean, how long ago did the first
spreading there start to separate the Americas from Africa and Europe?

b. What is the oldest oceanic lithosphere in the world and where is it located?

c. Outside of (b), what seems to be the oldest that oceanic lithosphere gets?

Question 10. Compare the ages of the oldest oceanic lithosphere with the oldest rocks
for continental crust (Figure 8). Why does it make sense that oceanic crust is so much
different from continental? Explain both. (4 pts)

12
Figure 7.

13
Figure 8. Simplified map of the ages of Continental Crust. Credit: Irina Artemieva, based on Goodwin, 1996; Fitzgerald,
2002; Condie, 2005, etc., http://www.lithosphere.info/TC1-age-and-temperature.html

14
 Part 3: Identifying Plate Boundaries
For questions 11- 16, you will need to identify the type of boundary at the locations
labeled A – F in the Figure 9 (page 15).

Question 11. The location A on the figure 9 corresponds to the following type of boundary : (2 pts).

A. Transform Boundary
B. Continent-Continent Divergent Plate Boundary
C. No Plate Boundary
D. Continent-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
E. Ocean-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
F. Continent-Continent Convergent Plate Boundary
G. Ocean-Ocean Divergent Plate Boundary

Question 12. The location B on the figure 9 corresponds to the following type of boundary : (2 pts).

A. Transform Boundary
B. Continent-Continent Divergent Plate Boundary
C. No Plate Boundary
D. Continent-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
E. Ocean-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
F. Continent-Continent Convergent Plate Boundary
G. Ocean-Ocean Divergent Plate Boundary

Question 13. The location C on the figure 9 corresponds to the following type of boundary : (2 pts).

A. Transform Boundary
B. Continent-Continent Divergent Plate Boundary
C. No Plate Boundary
D. Continent-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
E. Ocean-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
F. Continent-Continent Convergent Plate Boundary
G. Ocean-Ocean Divergent Plate Boundary

Question 14. The location D on the figure 9 corresponds to the following type of boundary : (2 pts).

A. Transform Boundary
B. Continent-Continent Divergent Plate Boundary
C. No Plate Boundary
D. Continent-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
E. Ocean-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
F. Continent-Continent Convergent Plate Boundary
G. Ocean-Ocean Divergent Plate Boundary

15
Question 15. The location E on the figure 9 corresponds to the following type of boundary : (2 pts).

A. Transform Boundary
B. Continent-Continent Divergent Plate Boundary
C. No Plate Boundary
D. Continent-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
E. Ocean-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
F. Continent-Continent Convergent Plate Boundary
G. Ocean-Ocean Divergent Plate Boundary

Question 16. The location F on the figure 9 corresponds to the following type of boundary : (2 pts).

A. Transform Boundary
B. Continent-Continent Divergent Plate Boundary
C. No Plate Boundary
D. Continent-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
E. Ocean-Ocean Convergent Plate Boundary
F. Continent-Continent Convergent Plate Boundary
G. Ocean-Ocean Divergent Plate Boundary

16
Figure 9. Locations for questions 11-16.

17
Name ____________________________ Lab section__________________
Part IV: Fault Movement
(partially accommodated from the Plate Movements Lab by Judson/Bonini/Rhodes/Rossbacher, Problem Solving
in Geology, 2/e )

Figure 10. The above photograph was taken near Bolinas, CA, shortly after the San Francisco
earthquake on April 18, 1906. The fence line was continuous before the earthquake.
(modified from U.S.G.S. Photographic Library, Gilbert, G.K., ggk02845, http://libraryphoto.cr.usgs.gov/index.html )

Question 17. Judging from the movement of the fence in Figure 10, what type of fault was this?
(2 pts.).

A. Fault with mostly horizontal movement (transform, or strike-slip fault)

B. Fault with mostly vertical movement (dip-slip fault)
C. Fault with oblique horizontal movement (oblique-slip fault)

Question 18. Assume that the fence is around 90 cm high. How far was the fence displaced
horizontally? [Hint: Measure the height of the fence at the break line on the figure in order to
determine the scale] (3 pts.)

Question 19. Using your estimate of the displacement, and given the duration of the event (20
seconds), how far would this fault move if the movement continued for a year? (2 pts.)

Question 20. Is this a reasonable estimate for displacement velocity of plates? (1 pts.)

Question 21. What is a reasonable estimate of the velocity of tectonic plates? (2 pts.)

18
Name ____________________________ Lab section__________________

Conclusions on the lab

1. Describe three natural phenomena that could be used as an evidence of the Plate Tectonics
Theory. (6 pts)

a)

b)

c)

2. What is the source of energy that drives the motion of the tectonic plates? (5 pts)

3. Where would you expect to find the youngest crust on Earth? The oldest? Explain.
(5 pts)

4. Which plate boundaries would you expect to find associated with earthquakes? Volcanoes?
Explain. (6 pts)

5. From your answer to (4), explain why the Eastern US has fewer earthquakes than the
Western US. (4 pts)

19
Name ____________________________ Lab section__________________

Correcting Common Misconceptions about Plate Tectonics

6. Use evidence in this lab and common sense to briefly explain why there were supercontinents
before the plates converged to form Pangaea. Use online resources or talk with other students
or your TA if you are stumped here. (6 pts)

Plates are continually moving; at one point came together then separated (process for
Pangaea was a couple hundred million years, oldest rocks are much older)

7. Briefly explain why the edge of a continent is not the same thing as a plate boundary and
give an example. (4 pts)

Seafloor spreading can create continental shelves, or transitions from continental to

oceanic crust from continual rock instead of a transition from one plate to another.

20