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Lab 2 - GEOL 210 Plate Tectonics Lab Part 1

This three-part lab uses Google Earth to help students identify and map plate boundaries based on the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes. In part one, students familiarize themselves with Google Earth and locate volcanoes and earthquakes. In part two, they create a map showing the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes. In part three, they use this information along with seafloor maps to identify and draw divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries on their map. They then confirm their map against models on the IRIS website.

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44 views

Lab 2 - GEOL 210 Plate Tectonics Lab Part 1

This three-part lab uses Google Earth to help students identify and map plate boundaries based on the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes. In part one, students familiarize themselves with Google Earth and locate volcanoes and earthquakes. In part two, they create a map showing the locations of volcanoes and earthquakes. In part three, they use this information along with seafloor maps to identify and draw divergent, convergent, and transform plate boundaries on their map. They then confirm their map against models on the IRIS website.

Uploaded by

rachellebonilla
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lab 2 – Using Google Earth to Understand Plate Tectonics, Part 1


This lab is the first part of a two-part study of plate tectonics and plate boundaries using Google Earth. Today we will be identifying the locations of plate boundaries
based on the distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes. This will help to identify where the boundaries are and what types of features form at each plate boundary.

Google Earth is a very valuable tool for studying features in geology. Using it, we can travel the world to look at a variety of geologic features and settings. We can also use
the many tools within the program to measure distances, measure elevations and compare historical data. If you haven’t played with it before, a great guide for using
Google Earth for Geology is: http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/teaching_methods/google_earth/UserGuide.html

When you start out in Google Earth, you first want to clean up after the last student to use the computer by deleting any layers that you do not need. (It is also nice to do
this when you are finished with your assignment so that the next person to use the computer doesn’t have to deal with your mess!) Hide all of the layers (by unclicking
them) and delete* places that other people have created. *To delete places: Control-click on the name and then select delete from the drop down menu.

Part 1: Before we look at plate tectonics, I want you to orient yourself with Google Earth. Answer the questions below and play around a bit to get started. If you don’t
know how to do any of these things review the linked document above for help.
What kinds of layers are available to add to your image? 1st stop: Find your house. How does it look? Can you tell when the picture was
taken? Year, day of the week, etc. How do you know?
You are able to add a new image overlay
My house does not look the way it is now. I know this because we
remodeled my house in 2015. I’m guessing this picture was taken in 2013
because it has the cars we had during that year that we later got rid of in
2014.

2rd stop: Skyline College – Does it look like this photo was taken on a school day or Put a placemark on our location in Building 7. What is the latitude and longitude of
weekend? Why? our location?
It looks like it was taken on a weekend as there are no students on campus 37*37’44”N 122*27’59”W
looking like they are headed to class

What is the elevation (above sea level) of the baseball diamond on campus? What date was the image of Skyline taken?

about 175 feet (53 m) above sea level It’s not available

Use the ruler to measure the distance from Building 7 to the mascot in the middle Now, click on the clock icon on the top toolbar to see what historical photos exist for
of the football field. this area. What is the oldest image available?

1332 ft The photo of building 3


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What changes can you see from the oldest image to today?

The pigmentation of the building is different but for the most part it is the same

Part 2: Develop a map of earthquake and volcano distribution. In Part 3 of this lab, you will use this map to develop a map of plate boundaries.

First: Plot and Map Volcanoes


1) Go to: http://volcano.si.edu/learn_products.cfm?p=98
2) Click “Download Holocene Volcanoes Network Link” -- this will download the KML file to your computer
3) In Google Earth now go to open and find the file that you just downloaded and add it to your view
4) This file is showing the location of Holocene volcanoes (volcanoes active within the last 10,000 years). Choose a color to indicate the locations of volcanoes on
your map. You do not need to identify every single volcano, but find and indicate the areas where volcanic activity is concentrated. Use a colored pencil to draw a
symbol (Λ, for example) to show where volcanoes are located.

Second: Visualize and Map Earthquakes


1) In your web browser, go to www. Iris.edu
2) Under “Earthquakes” select “Interactive Earthquake Browser” (you can also check out: “Recent Earthquakes Map”).
3) Go to “Max Quakes” on the top right and change to “5000”
4) Orient yourself and answer the following questions:
What do colors represent? Purple,green,blue, yellow, orange, red What do the different size dots represent?
depth (km)
5) Add earthquakes to your map in a different color than the one used for volcanoes and with a symbol (🞆, for example).
6) After plotting the earthquakes on your map, you should be able to pencil in rough plate boundaries (in a different color) on your map.

Part 3: Armed with the knowledge of where volcanoes and earthquakes occur, you are now well poised to identify the locations of the plate boundaries. In this part of the
lab, you are going to create a plate boundaries map. You will be using this map again next week and you will be able to use on the exam, so you want to be as accurate as
possible.

Developing Plate Boundaries Map


1) Bring your earthquake and volcano map to me and I will give you a Hubbard Scientific seafloor bathymetry map.
2) Study the features on the map and compare then to your map of earthquake and volcano occurrence.
3) On your map, you will identify 3 types of plate boundaries: divergent, convergent, and transform. Choose a color for each type of plate motion and create a key
on your map.
4) Start with the mid-ocean ridges, which are easily identifiable, and label them as divergent plate boundaries on your map.
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5) Return to the IRIS website and the Earthquake visualization and change “Show Plates” to “On”. This will show you the locations and types of plate boundaries.
Complete your map with this information.

Part 4: Look at the IRIS model with both of your maps to answer the following questions.
In which type(s) of plate boundaries do earthquakes In what type of plate boundary do the largest In what type(s) of plate boundaries to volcanoes
occur? earthquakes occur? form?

Convergent boundaries Convergent plate boundaries


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