Geology                     Natural Science 1003

Topics

2.1  Plates  

• Terms: Lithosphere, asthenosphere, plate (tectonic plate)

2.2  Plate boundaries  

• Terms: Divergent plate boundary; convergent plate boundary; transform plate boundary

2.3  Evidence that plates move today  

• Explanation: How do satellites tell us that the plates are moving today?

2.4  Evidence that plates moved in the past

• 2.4.A  Explanation: Similarity of rock sequences on different continents today

           Term: rock layer sequence

• 2.4.B  Explanation: Similarity of mountain ranges on different continents today

           Term: deformational style

• 2.4.C  Explanation: Apparent motion of glaciers in the southern hemisphere in the past

• 2.4.D  Explanation: Fossils in the southern hemisphere

• 2.4.E  Explanation: Magnetic pole wandering   D2L explanation

• 2.4.F  Explanation: Hot spot movement

• 2.4.G  Pangaea

2.5  Divergent plate boundaries  

• 2.5.A  Story: What happens at a divergent plate boundary?

• 2.5.B  Explanation: What geologic activity occurs at a divergent plate boundary?

• Explanation: How do mountains form at a divergent plate boundary?

• 2.5.C  Question: Where do divergent plate boundaries exist?

• 2.5.D  Story: Idealized development of a divergent plate boundary

2.6  Evidence that plates move apart at a divergent plate boundary  

• Reminder: Satellites

• 2.6.A  Explanation: Age of rocks

• 2.6.B  Explanation: Pattern of magnetic polarity in rock

• 2.6.C  Explanation: Depth of ocean sediments

• 2.6.D  Explanation: Heat flow data

2.7  Convergent plate boundaries

• Explanation: Different convergent boundaries exist depending on what type of crust is coming together

2.8  Subduction zones  

• Analytical: How can you tell which crust will subduct below the other?

• Explanation: What geologic activity occurs at a subduction zone?

2.9  What evidence do we have that subduction zones exist?  

• 2.9.A  Explanation: Earthquake depths

• 2.9.B  Explanation: Deep temps

2.10  Continent-continent convergent boundaries

• Explanation: What geologic activity occurs at continent-continent convergent plate boundaries?

2.11  Transform plate boundaries  

• Explanation: Transform boundaries at divergent plate boundaries

• Explanation: What geologic activity occurs at transform plate boundaries?

2.12  Why do plates move?  

• Explanation: Subducting plates drag lithosphere

• Explanation: Newly formed plates push away lithosphere

• Explanation: Gravity at divergent boundaries moves lithosphere

• Explanation: Asthenosphere may carry lithosphere along

Topic Resources for students

Entire topic

• Notes from other college courses:
  --Prof. Nelson 
• Online book about plate tectonics from the USGS
• Animations of plate boundaries
     --Prentice-Hall (very good)
     --Norton
     --Houghton Mifflin
• Videos
     --BBC 1 min
     --OK  16 min

2.4  Evidence that plates moved in the past

• Animations of continental drift from U. of California
• Hot spot animation from Houghton Mifflin
• another hot spot animation from Norton
• Continent movement video (a bit slow) 6 min

2.6  Evidence that plates move apart at a divergent plate boundary

• Divergent boundary animation from Houghton Mifflin
• another animation from the San Diego Supercomputer Center
• Animation of formation of ocean crust
• Animation of divergent boundary on continent
• Animation of magnetic polarity at div boundary
• Recent crack in East Africa rift valley

2.8  Subduction zones

• subduction zone animation from the San Diego Supercomputer Center
• subduction zone animation from Norton

2.10  Continent-continent convergent boundaries

• Indian plate movement animation

Links for further interest

2.1  Plates

• History of the development of Plate Tectonics theory from a South African perspective (interesting side note)

2.4  Evidence that plates moved in the past

• PaleoMap project (great site)
• Discussion of the formation of Hawaii from the U of Hawaii